Lisa's Fabulous Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:

1.75 c Flour, all purpose
0.5 t  Salt
2 sticks butter, unsalted, diced
2 c Sugar
0.4 c brewed coffee or water
11 oz semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, broken up or coarsely chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, broken up or coarsely chopped
1 T Vanilla Extract
4 large eggs
2 c chopped walnuts, optional

Directions:


Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: I haven't made this recipe yet, but my friend Lisa made them for our potluck.  And they were FANTASTIC!  I can't wait to make this recipe myself!  I usually prefer easier recipes, but I am willing to work harder for these delicious brownies! :)

Veggie Lasagna

Ingredients:

4 tsp olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 c Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium zucchinis, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
4 T tomato paste
1 t Oregano (or mixed Italian herbs)
1 t Dried Basil
Freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls baby spinach salad leaves, roughly chopped
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c Mozarella Cheese, Shredded
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese, Grated
1 - 30 oz tub Ricotta Cheese
1.5 - 12 oz pkg Oven Ready (No Cook) Lasagna Noodles


Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
 
2. Make red sauce:

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Sauté garlic for 1 minute, followed by onion, mushrooms, celery, carrots, zucchini and squash. Gently sauté for 10 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano or herbs and some black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach. Add 2/3 cup water to sauce.

3. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of paremesan cheese, eggs, and basil.  Mix well.
   
4. In a 9"x13"x3" pan, spread 2 cups of meat sauce.  Place 4 sheets of Lasagna over sauce.  DO NOT BOIL NOODLES.  Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over Lasagna.  Top with 1/3 of meat sauce (In my case, this was 2c, 2c, 2c).
 
5. Repeat Layering once.
 
6. Top with 4 sheets of Lasagna then remaining sauce.
 
7. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
 
8. Wrap the lasagna tightly with a double layer of foil.
 
9. Bake at 375F for 55 to 60 minutes or until the lasagna is fork tender.
 
10. Let stand for 10 minutes sealed in foil before cutting and serving.






Hot Mama Grade: A

Hot Mama Notes: I made this for my bunco group since it fell on Ash Wednesday (no meat!).  I was originally planning to make regular meat lasagna!! (http://hotmamacookbook.blogspot.com/2016/01/lasagna.html)

Instead, my friend Sara sent me the below veggie lasagna recipe.  I looked online for a veggie lasagna, and there were so many choices!  Sara said her recipe was good, so I went with that.  That way I didn't have to pour through a bunch of online recipes.  :)

I looked at the veggie recipe, and I thought it odd that there were no eggs.  I was worried it wouldn't be cohesive enough, so I decided to take the ricotta layer from my regular lasagna (http://hotmamacookbook.blogspot.com/2016/01/lasagna.html), and switch this recipe's ricotta layer to match that.  I also added 2/3 c of water to the sauce, and cooked the the lasagna for 60 minutes covered, as in my original meat lasagna recipe.

There is a LOT of chopping for this recipe, but it did turn out well.  I liked it, and my friends seemed to like it, as well.  I added the same amount and type of cheese from the original lasagna recipe, as well.  More cheese is better, right???? :D  

Since the veggie lasagna recipe said it only served 8 people, and I had 12 for bunco, I decided to double the recipe.  I doubled all the veggies except the yellow squash and onion.  I also did not double the crushed tomatoes, but I did double the tomato paste.  And I added the 1t of dried basil to the ricotta layer, as well. I used my pampered chef stoneware 13x9x2" pan.  It is actually larger than a standard 13x9x2 pan.

I served this lasagna with homemade garlic bread and a mixed salad of spring greens and spinach (with toppings of hard boiled egg, mushrooms, broccoli, cheddar cheese, cucumber dill or ranch dressing).  I liked the lasagna.  I may make it again if I can get motivated to chop all those veggies.  My Mom mentioned I could use frozen veggies, but I don't roll that way!!  A tasty treat! :)



Original Recipe (From Sara B.):

Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp oregano or mixed Italian herbs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls baby spinach salad leaves, roughly chopped
1 15-ounce tub fat-free or low fat ricotta
8-ounces no-cook lasagna noodles
3/4 cup reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and coat an 11 X 7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Sauté garlic for 1 minute, followed by onion, mushrooms, celery, carrots, zucchini and squash. Gently sauté for 10 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs and some black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach. 

Spread a cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Top with noodles, followed by half the ricotta cheese; add another layer of sauce, followed by noodles and remaining ricotta cheese. Continue with remaining noodles and sauce, ending with sauce. Top with mozzarella and bake for 30 minutes. Serves 8. 

Per Serving: Calories 303, Calories from Fat 37, Total Fat 4.1g (sat 1.5g), Cholesterol 42mg, Sodium 461mg, Carbohydrate 50.6g, Fiber 4.6g, Protein 15.8g

Crepes

Originally from: Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook

Ingredients:

1.5 c Milk

1 c flour

2 eggs

1 T cooking oil

2 T sugar (omit if you do not want sweet crepes. I always use sugar, though.  )

1 t vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat nonstick frying pan. Put heat on just less than halfway. Crack eggs and whisk. Add milk, oil and vanilla, whisk. Add sugar, whisk. Add flour, whisk. Just before you are ready to make the first crepe, spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. The easiest way to do this without making a big mess, is to take the pan over to your sink, and spray the pan over the sink. Add 3 T of batter to the pan. Twirl pan around to spread batter around the bottom of the pan. Cook the crepe on the just less than medium heat. It takes only 2ish minutes to cook a crepe. You can tell they are cooked when the top turns from shiny wet to matte. DO NOT FLIP. Use a spatula to loosen a bit of the crepe from the pan, and then dump the crepe out of the pan by turning the pan upside down over the plate. Voila! Super yumminess!!! 

Hot Mama Grade: A+

Chocolate Crinkles Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 c Butter, melted
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c sugar
2 eggs
2 t Vanilla extract
2 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
6 oz mini swemisweet chocolate chips (I used regular sized and it was fine, fyi)
3/4 c confectioner's sugar

Instructions:

In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, cocoa powder and sugar.  Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.  In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Use a large spoon to slowly add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture.  Stir in the chips.  Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350F.  Form the dough into 1 inch balls, then roll them in confectioner's sugar.  Bake the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Set the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then lightly dust the cookies with the remaining confectioners' sugar.  Transfer the cookies directly onto the rack to cool thoroughly.  Makes 4 dozen.

Hot Mama Grade: A

Best Toffee Ever!

Originally from: Marilee Chapman

Ingredients:

2 CUPS BUTTER

2 CUPS WHITE SUGAR

1/4 TEASPOON SALT

2 CUPS SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS

1 CUP FINELY CHOPPED PECANS OR ALMONDS

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt.  Cook over medium heat until the butter is melted.  Allow to come to a boil and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color and the temperature on a candy thermometer becomes 285 degrees F.  Stir occasionally.

2. While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.

3.  As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it out onto the baking sheet and spread quickly.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the toffee and let them soften for a few minutes.  Spread the chocolate into a thin layer.  Sprinkle the chopped nuts over the chocolate.  Use a plastic bag to gently press into the chocolate.

4.  Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set.  Break into pieces and store in an air-tight container.

Yum-Yum!  Enjoy!

Hot Mama Notes: This is an excellent toffee recipe!  We love it!

Hot Mama Grade: A

Grandma Lucy's Potato Salad

5lbs potatoes boiled in skins      

1doz hard boiled eggs

jar of pickles

Miracle Whip

Some mustard

Chop all the ingredients, mix with Miracle Whip and mustard and enjoy!!!!

Hot Mama Notes: My Mom has been making this recipe for as long as I can remember.  It is truly a family heirloom.  Potato Salad yummy goodness!!!

Hot Mama Grade: A

Red Velvet Crinkles Cookies

Originally from: http://cakewhiz.com/red-velvet-crinkle-cookies-recipe/

Ingredients

• ¾ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbsp buttermilk
• 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Red gel coloring
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 cup granulated sugar (for rolling cookie dough balls)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling cookie dough balls)

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar until mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, buttermilk, lemon juice or vinegar, vanilla extract and red gel coloring and mix until smooth.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Dump the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix!
5. Chill the dough for 2 hours or overnight.
6. Scoop out small portions of the dough and make small balls. Roll them in granulated sugar first and then roll them in powdered sugar. Place them on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are firm around the edges.
8. And you are done! Enjoy!

Notes

-  Tips:

• The powdered sugar on crinkle cookie have a tendency to get absorbed in the cookies after a few hours. One way to PREVENT this is by rolling the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar and then rolling them in powdered sugar and then baking them.
• You must use buttermilk in this recipe. Do not use regular milk! Buttermilk adds moisture and richness in these cookies.
• You will need to add A LOT of red food coloring to give these cookies their bright color. I like to use gel coloring since they are more concentrated but you can use liquid food coloring too. You will have to add 4-5 tsp of liquid food coloring though! If you don’t use enough food coloring, your cookies will  have a weird brown color.
• You must CHILL this cookie dough! That makes the dough firm and easier to handle. It also prevents cookies from spreading while baking and the cookies will hold their round puffy shape.
• DO NOT replace butter with oil! The consistency of the dough will change and so will the flavor.
• You can add some white chocolate chips into the batter and make red velvet crinkle cookies with white chocolate chips. They are unbelievably delicious!
• You can also make red velvet crinkle cookies with cream cheese filling, using the best cream cheese frosting ever.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

- When the cookies cool down completely, store in an airtight cookie jar for up to 3 days.
- To make white chocolate red velvet crinkle cookies, stir in ¾ cup to 1 cup white chocolate chips in the batter.

Hot Mama Notes: These cookies are very good.  My family and friends enjoyed them.  I felt like they could have been more red, but I used a TON of red gel food coloring.  I can't imagine putting any more in!  These cookies won me "Best Looking" at the annual cookie exchange! :D  I would make these cookies again, but they weren't necessarily to die for.  Not the best cookie I have ever made, but they are definitely tasty and festive looking.

I did not have any buttermilk, so I used a scant tablespoon of whole milk topped off with white vinegar.

Hot Mama Grade: A-