Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Cowboy Cookies???

Does one (or more) of you have a good Cowboy Cookie recipe? I have to make some for a Girls Camp activity tomorrow!! Please post it if you do.
Thank you, thank you.

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Grand German Chocolate Bars

I made these yesterday with my kids for our FHE treat. They are rich, gooey and yummy! Had to share the recipe.

Grand German Chocolate Bars

CRUST
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut up, softened

BARS
6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans

TOPPING
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans**
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350 F. Line 8-inch square pan with heavy-duty foil, leaving extra foil extending over edges. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In medium bowl, with fork, mix together all crust ingredients until crumbly; press into pan. Bake 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place chocolate and 6 Tbsp butter in medium heat-proof bowl; place over medium saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir frequently until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from saucepan; let stand until cooled slightly.
4. In small bowl, stir together 1 cup flour and salt. In large bowl, beat 2 eggs and 1 cup brown sugar at medium speed 1 minute or until well-blended and lightened in color. At low speed, beat in chocolate mixture and 1 tsp vanilla until blended. Add flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. Stir in 1 1/2 cups coconut and 1 1/2 cups pecans. Spread batter over crust.
5. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from edge comes out with moist crumbs attached (toothpick inserted in center comes out with thin fudge coating.) Top of bars may crack around edges. Cool completely on wire rack. (Bars may sink slightly during cooking.)
6. In medium saucepan, whisk together cream, sugar, 1 egg and 1 Tbsp butter. Cook over medium heat until bubbles form around outside edge, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1 1/2 cups coconut, 1 1/2 cups pecans and 1 tsp vanilla. Spread over cooled bars. Cool completely.
7. Using foil edges, lift bars from pan. Slide bars off foil onto cutting board; cut into 16 pieces.

TIP **To toast pecans, place on baking sheet; bake at 350 F for 6 to 8 minutes or until slightly darker in color. Cool.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Not Abuela's black beans and rice.

These are of my own making, and are, without boasting, the most delicious black beans that have ever been made. Please don't tell Abuela. Like most of my cooking, the measurements are imprecise and can be modified. Bear with me.

Step one: Put some rice in the rice cooker. If you are feeling sassy, add some lime zest to the water.

Step two: Pour about 1/2" of olive oil--MUST be olive oil--into the bottom of a pot. Cook on medium until the oil starts to get little wavy lines in it and smells pungeant.

While the oil is heating, chop some bells and onions and garlic and tomatoes. I use three or four each, but you can use whatever you have on hand, and can skip the bells and tomatoes if you have none.

Step three: Add the onions and bell peppers to the oil, and sautee for a few minutes. Then add the tomatoes and garlic. Turn heat to low to simmer.

Step four: Add two cans of black beans with the liquid. (You could use the dry, but you would have to prepare them early and I am not that prepared.) There will probably be a decent amount of liquid in there, so that it looks a little like a stew. (If you used dry, you will need to add about a cup of water)

Step five: These parts are the most important, so don't mess around with them:
1. Add two packets of Sazon con achiote y culantro. I use Vigo or Goya brand, but I know that Knorr makes is as well. Orange box. You can get it at Walmart, or at any Latin food store. I get it in the jumbo box at the PX.

2. Add a healthy soup spoon full of cumin. I get my cumin from Penzey's because it is the best spice store ever, and I use a lot of it.

3. Add a healthy soup spoon of beef soup base and seasoning. Also from Penzey's but the Utah Costco sell big containers of it. This is not cube kind, but it is a paste of real beef. I have not been able to find it anywhere in EP, so I get it online. (Cjane can omit this, but it adds the perfect touch. When I make it for the veg's, I just pull a few cups from the pot and set them aside, and add the beef to the rest of it.)

Step six: Let the whole thing simmer until it is thick and saucy and perfect. You can let it simmer for an hour if you want, or you can let it simmer for 15 minutes. Just until it is as thick as you want.

Serve over white rice. Please don't use Instant Rice--it hurts my soul.

I am going to go make some right now...

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Easy summer salad (healthy!)

My husband and I don't care for many vegetables but I found this recipe we both liked very much and surpise, surprise...it includes broccoli! It is truly a miracle to see us eating broccoli. My young kids don't eat meat (due to pickiness) and so this recipe wasn't a hit with them but I hope as they get older, they will enjoy the recipe too. A mother can only hope. Enjoy this easy, healthy and very delicious salad for summer!

Chicken Vegetable Salad

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/4 cup bottled reduced-fat ranch salad dressing

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1/2 cup chopped broccoli

1/4 cup shredded carrot ( to make this easy, I use the pre-shedded carrots that I store in my freezer)

1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and salad dressing. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, broccoli, carrot, and, if desired, nuts. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken mixture; toss to coat. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Makes 4 (small) servings. I suggest you double or triple the recipe.