Rocky Road Tart

Chocolate was the ingredient of choice this month for a cooking club a friend of mine started. My original plan was to make a bittersweet chocolate tart with a graham cracker crust so that it'd almost be like eating smores. Imagine my surprise when I found this recipe instead. I was skeptical of how it would look at the end (since professional pictures always look so .. perfect, and my stuff is always so .. less perfect). Nonetheless, I was quite pleased with it. Granted, I haven't cut into it yet -- I'm leaving that for people at work.

My only alterations to the recipe were that I baked it in a 8-inch springform (my set jumps from 8 to 10 inches), and that I overfilled with the ganache, despite the instructions advising to not go over the crust. I think it's not so bad, and almost gives it a cheesecake look with the extra chocolate. I also omitted the egg yolks, (1) for cholesterol, and (2) icky uncooked eggs!

Rocky Road Tart

From Martha Stewart Living

FOR THE CRUST
6 ounces graham crackers (about 11)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE GANACHE AND FILLING
15 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup salted almonds with skins, lightly toasted

FOR THE TOPPING
3/4 cups mini marshmallows
1/4 cup salted almonds with skins, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 1/3 cup)

Make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process graham crackers, sugar, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl, and stir in melted butter. Mix until combined.

Pour mixture into a 9-inch cake ring or springform pan set on a parchmentlined baking sheet.

Press crumbs with your hand or the bottom of a glass to form an even layer on bottom and up sides of pan. Bake until crust just starts to turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack.

Make ganache: Melt 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; keep warm. Meanwhile, bring cream just to a simmer in a medium saucepan over high heat; remove from heat. Whisk 1/4 cup hot cream into the beaten egg yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture into the remaining cream in saucepan. Whisk cream mixture into the melted chocolate, and set the ganache aside.

Coarsely chop remaining 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, and transfer to a large bowl. Toss in 2 cups mini marshmallows and 1 cup whole toasted almonds. Scatter mixture all over bottom of cooled crust. Reserve 1 cup ganache for topping, and pour the rest evenly on top of the filling (do not overfill the crust). Refrigerate tart, uncovered, until firm, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, cover reserved ganache with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature.

Make topping: Toss together 3/4 cup mini marshmallows, 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds, and 2 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate; sprinkle over filling. Drizzle reserved 1 cup ganache over tart, and refrigerate 10 minutes more before cutting into slices. Tart can be refrigerated, covered, up to three days.

Butter-Pecan Sweet Potatoes and Balsamic Tofu

I'm a huge fan of sweet potatoes, so I thought I'd try this recipe out (and I liked it a lot). The only modification I made was that I melted the butter, then added the sugar and red pepper flakes (instead of cayenne) into the bowl, then drizzled it overtop of the potato and nuts. As for the tofu, well this is a recipe that my sister uses for chicken wings. I find that making it with tofu is equally yummy. Instead of chicken I add a block of tofu cut into 1 inch squares. Instead of baking it off in the oven and reducing the sauce, I pick the pieces out of the marinade and pan fry them until they're starting to toughen on the outside. Then I dump the marinade into the pan and let the tofu finish cooking while the marinade reduces down to a syrup. I then pick out the rosemary stems and garlic cloves and voila! I served this up with some steamed zucchini with freshly cracked pepper.



Butter-Pecan Sweet Potatoes
(from Everyday Food)

8 medium sweet potatoes (5 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
1/3 cup pecan pieces
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise; slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick. On a baking sheet, toss potatoes with olive oil; season with coarse salt.

2. Transfer half the potatoes to a second baking sheet; cook both sheets until potatoes are tender, tossing occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Sprinkle with butter, brown sugar, pecan pieces, and cayenne pepper, dividing evenly. Bake until sugar is caramelized and hard, about 10 minutes. Gently toss; serve immediately.



Balsamic Chicken Drumettes
(from Everyday Italian)

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 sprigs of rosemary
5 garlic cloves, halved
10 to 12 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Combine the balsamic, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves, in a large, re-sealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and the brown sugar. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bag and seal with as little air as possible in the bag. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the chicken drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil (in order to kill bacteria). Reduce the heat to simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes. Reserve.

Use a pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade on the cooked chicken. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the chopped parsley.

Cook's note: I like the rosemary and garlic flavors in the background. Brushing the cooked drumettes with the reduced marinade helps the flavors along. Also, re-moistening helps the parsley and the seeds to adhere.

Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

I made these for the guys at work, since I owed them for my prior week's bitchiness and grumpyness. They turned out to be a fabulous hit. Yum!






Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 12-ounce package (2 cups) dark chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts, toasted

Directions
In a large mixing bowl beat shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in chocolate pieces and, if desired, nuts.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in a 375 degrees F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes about 60 cookies.

Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies: Prepare as directed, except use a 1/4-cup dry measure or scoop to drop mounds of dough about 4 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Makes about 20 cookies.

Gingerbread Waffles

I've made these a few times, and they're always super yummy! Having them with just syrup is good, but the whipped cream and fresh berries makes it seem a least a little bit more healthy. Ahem.

Gingerbread Waffles
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, plus some to butter the iron

Syrup, whipped cream or fresh fruits for topping, to pass at table

Preheat waffles iron.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in pumpkin, milk, molasses and melted butter. Stir the wet into dry until just moist. Do not overstir the waffle batter. Brush the iron with a little melted butter and cook 4 waffles, 4 sections each. Serve with toppings of choice.

4-Cheese Mac, Honey Mustard Glazed Chicken, and Green Bean Almondine

I decided to try and impress my boyfriend with a fancy menu. Instead I got this, lol. It actually was pretty alright, I was only disappointed with the Mac and Cheese. It was great! But it tasted like this pre-packaged pasta stuff I used to buy in university for 77 cents. Sure this stuff is probably healthier, but I mean come on! At least it was easily made in 30 minutes or less. :)





Honey Mustard and Red Onion Barbecued Chicken
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar, a couple of handfuls
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup prepared honey mustard (recommended: Honey Cup brand)
1/2 teaspoon allspice, eyeball it
1/2 teaspoon curry powder, eyeball it
4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Vegetable oil, for drizzling Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat grill pan or griddle over medium high heat.

Pour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil into a small saucepan over moderate heat. Add red onions and saute 3 to 5 minutes. Add vinegar and reduce by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and cook 1 minute to incorporate. Whisk in broth and honey mustard, allspice and curry. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to lowest setting.

Coat chicken with a drizzle of oil and salt and pepper, to your taste. Place chicken on hot grill and cook 4 or 5 minutes, then turn. Baste chicken liberally with sauce and cook another 5 minutes. Turn once again and baste. Cook 2 or 3 minutes more to cook through and transfer chicken to a platter and serve.


4-Cheese Mac

1/2 lb. whole wheat rotini
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 onion, chopped
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half cream
1 cup milk (I used 2% since it was on hand)
1/2 cup each shredded light gouda, light monteray jack, light cheddar, and light swiss cheese (2 cups total)
1/2 cup italian-style bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.

Over medium heat in a large frying pan (or a pot) , melt butter and add onion. Saute for about a minute, until onion is starting to get soft and juicy. Add 2 tbsp. of flour and mix, forming a sort of roux. Once a little bubbly, add chicken stock, cream and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer until thickens, about 5-10 minutes.

Add cheese to pan and mix until fully melted. Add pasta and toss to coat, then transfer contents to an oven safe dish.

In a bowl, combine bread crumbs and parmesan. Sprinkle over top of pasta, then drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven under a broiler until top is lightly browned. Serve warm.



Green Bean Almondine

1 lb. green beans, cleaned and trimmed
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in the oven

Steam green beans in steam basket. When ready, dump into a bowl and add butter and toasted almonds. Toss to coat and serve.

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon

OMG divine! I have a new love, and it is this dish. I have an infrequent love affair with smoked salmon, but when I do it makes me want it every single day all over again. This will definitely be a repeater for when I have guests next time.



Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

1/4 pound sliced smoked salmon
12 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
12 to 15 blades of fresh chives, finely chopped

Reserve 2 slices of salmon for garnish. Chop the remaining salmon into very small pieces.

Whisk your eggs and cream together. Add 1/2 of your chopped chives and season eggs with salt and pepper. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Melt butter in the pan and add eggs. Scramble eggs with a wooden spoon. Do not cook eggs until dry. When eggs have come together but remain wet, stir in chopped salmon. Remove pan from the stove and place on a trivet. Garnish the eggs with remaining salmon and chives and serve right out of the warm pan.

Note: If you are serving these eggs with the other recipes provided as a brunch, a platter of store bought fruit filled dainties will complete your elegant brunch. Allow 1 dainty per person but halve dainties so that guests may mix and match varieties.