This Week's Concoctions Ending 7/16

Here are some highlights of items that I made this week other than the "Weekly Cookie"

 All of the main ingredients were from our fruit and vegetable shares.

We received a quart of blackberries which we overheard would be best used if it was consumed within the next 24 hours. So I made the blackberry cobbler that night for the kids book club the next day.

Blackberry Cobbler

We got 3 pounds of fava beans. I had never really seen what they looked like or much about them other than the references in "Silence of the Lambs". They came in pods that were furry inside with only maybe 3-4 beans/pod. I boiled them for a minute and then had to peel off the outer layer of the bean which yielded the green bean seen below. The taste was pretty meh.

Fava Bean Pesto Pasta

We got 2 pounds of sweet cherries. I had a hard time finding a recipe that I liked...I initially wanted to make a pie with a premade crust and most of the ones that I found were calling for either a can of cherry pie filling or double crusts. I really liked this cake.

Sweet Cherry Pound Cake

July 13: Pork and Beans Bars

Pork and Beans Bars

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups (6 oz) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 generous cup (10 oz can) baked beans with pork
2/3 cup raisins (optional)
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line a 9x13 metal baking pan with nonstick foil or just spray it with flour-added baking spray.
2. Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and granulated sugar together in a medium-size bowl; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and beans. As you beat, mash the beans up with the mixer -- you'll have a few whole beans, but that's okay because they add character to the bars. Add the flour mixture gradually and stir until it is incorporated. Stir in the raisins (if using). Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan. Cut into 24 squares and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Thoughts: I know that the name may turn some heads, but the taste is pretty much like a spice cake. The only exception is that you might be biting into a bean not a raisin. I ended up putting it in the oven for a little longer than 30 minutes...maybe 40 minutes. I used the whole 10 oz can of pork and beans. Patrick was not crazy about this one and I thought it was just ok. When I brought it into work, my co-worker and I decided to call it spice cake instead of the real title so people would try it!

This Week's Concoctions Ending 7/9

Here are some highlights of items that I made this week other than the "Weekly Cookie"


This is one of my favorite veggie recipes. It uses brown sugar, onions and chicken broth.

Collard Greens

I made these for a co-worker's birthday. She wanted strawberry buttercream frosting, but since it's a pain to make, I cheated. I used a can of buttercream frosting and bought one of those new frosting creation mixes (strawberry shortcake).

Strawberry Cupcakes

Couscous Confetti Salad

I made this dish for "Healthy Week" at work, even though I don't know how healthy it is based on the amount of couscous. It also has eggplant, zucchini, red and yellow peppers with a red wine mustard vinaigrette. I was supposed to grill the vegetables but it looked like it was about to rain so I just baked them in the oven for 24 minutes, flipping halfways. I think grilling them would've made them less soggy.

July 7: Triple Chocolate Bites

Triple Chocolate Bites

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (3.4 oz) all-purpose flour
4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1.2 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
Lightly sweetened whipped cream or topping (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line an 8 inch square metal pan with nonstick foil.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the cocoa powder and salt, then add the flour and stir until mixed. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes.
3. Combine the milk, bittersweet, and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power, stirring at 1 minute intervals, until the chocolate is fully melted; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until well mixed and smooth. Stir in the slightly cooled melted chocolate, then beat in the egg. Spread over the chocolate crust and bake for 20-22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 1 hour, then chill for 3 hours, or until very cold. When ready to serve, lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 64 squares. Serve in mini cupcake liners with a dot of whipped cream if desired.

Addition of cocoa powder and salt

Addition of flour

Before the oven...

After the oven...

Before the oven...

After the oven...

Thoughts: I didn't screw up the melting of the chocolate so I'm considering this a success! We thought these would have more of a brownie taste, but they were ehh....ok. The bottom layer was very bland and the chocolate layer mostly tasted like the cream cheese and Hershey's chocolate (not a particularly bad thing).

This Week's Concoctions Ending 7/2

Here are some highlights of items that I made this week other than the "Weekly Cookie"


I have never successfully pan fried anything without scorching the food and/or the pan until this week. It was great. I was very pleased and Patrick really liked it.

Pan Fried Chicken

So every Wednesday night in the summer, I have been baking for this kids book thing so I found this recipe that I was able to use my whole milk in pudding form. However I didn't read the directions correctly so it didn't come out right. The brownie bottom came out ok and then I was supposed to poke holes in the brownies and pour the milk-pudding mix over it. But I didn't let the pudding set so it was like liquid that didn't fill the holes. So I tried to fix it by putting a container of cool whip over it but I felt like it was a gooey gross mess so....

Pudding Smothered Brownies

I made these instead. This recipe tends to be my backup because it is very easy to make (brownie mix, egg and oil). I think I made 32 in about 30 minutes. I first made these as part of my Christmas cookie selection and it has become a favorite in my house.

Brownie Cookies

We started receiving our fruit share recently and this past week, we received 3 quarts of strawberries! So I used a little over a quart on this pie.

Strawberry Pie

July 1: Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo Bars

Base
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large pasteurized egg, lightly beaten
5 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup chopped and toasted pecans
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Filling
4 tablespoons (2 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar, lightly spooned
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding or custard powder
2-3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 oz semisweet chocolate

1. Line a 9x13 pan with nonstick foil.
2. Make the base: In the top of a double boiler or in a mixing bowl set over but not touching a pan of simmering water, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar, egg, and cocoa powder. Return the pan to the heat and whisk for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, and coconut. Spread in the prepared pan and press down tightly. Chill the pan while you make the second layer.
3. Make the filling: In a medium-size mixing bowl, stir together the butter and confectioners' sugar, then beat with a handheld mixer until fluffy. Beat in the pudding mix, milk, and vanilla. Spread the filling over the cooled crust, and then chill for about an hour.
4. Make the topping: In the top of a double boiler, or in the microwave using 50% power, melt the butter and the chocolate, stirring at 1-minute intervals. Spread the melted chocolate over the custard layer and chill until set. When ready to serve, lift from the pan, set the bars on a cutting board, and cut into 32 squares.

If you use the fresh stacks like me, it took 3 packets

Addition of the egg, sugar and cocoa powder

Addition of pecans, graham cracker crumbs, coconut

1st attempt in the microwave

Tried to save it by putting it over the stovetop to melt...fail.

2nd attempt by stovetop

Fail.

3rd attempt...I should've thrown it out instead of putting it on the top

4th attempt to put on top of the other stuff....just melted chocolate in a double boiler...no butter

Finally the finished product!

Thoughts: I had a lot of problems with melting the chocolate for the topping. As you can see by the pics, it took 4 attempts. It was crazy I must've wasted 24 oz of chocolate chips. Other than that there were no issues except they were kind of blah tasting. I think we each ate one bite.

This Week's Concoctions Ending 6/25

Here is the highlight that I made this week other than the "Weekly Cookie"

Cake Mix Fudge

The only thing I made this week was this cake mix fudge. It didn't harden properly so it was a little mushy and messy.