The Best Fudge Brownies Ever

1 cup (8 ounces) butter

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups Dutch process cocoa (I use Hershey's Dark)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips semi-sweet

Add if you like:
1tsp coffee grounds
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Note: Increase salt to 1 teaspoon if you are using unsalted butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch pan. (I lined mine with parchment).

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave for 1 minute) and heat until mixture is very hot but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating the butter and sugar a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies. Transfer the mixture to a bowl (if you melted the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl, you don't have to transfer anything).

Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder and vanilla and coffee grounds. Add the eggs, beating till smooth; then add the flour, chips and nuts, stirring until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out dry. Don't over bake! Remove them from the oven and after 5 minutes, loosen the edges with a table knife. This helps prevent sinking as they cool. Cool then cut and serve with wonderful red wine and good friends or as a breakfast food for those who are daring~Enjoy.

Makes 2 dozen brownies
--Allison Vitug

Ginger Creams

While I don't have a memory of my grandmother making these for Christmas cookies, my step-mom does. (My grandmother's daughter.) (Gran is my step-mom's mom.) So I made these in 2006 for Christmas because they said "ginger" in the title. And I had a hankering for a ginger cookie. They were so so so good! I made them for a church function. And I told my mom "I made those over there" and she said, "I know - I recognized them." So I guess I made them just like her mom used to make them!! Very cool!! :)

They are uber-yummy also. So while the Cathedral Window cookies used to be my favorite, these Ginger Creams are my new favorite. The Cathedral Window cookies are about the prettiest thing anyone can find on a Christmas cookie plate. But my step-mom and my family say they are bland tasting. I don't really think they are bland. But they are basically marshmallows and chocolate. No complex flavor there.

Since I'm the only one who wolfs the Cathedral Window cookies, I have officially decided* not to make them this year. I lost a lot of weight in 2008, and I can't be the only one eating any of the cookies. (I want to keep the weight off!) In 2006-07 I gained about 10 lbs between Halloween and New Years. I don't want to do THAT again!)

*"decided" is subject to change as Christmas starts approaching.

Without further adieu:

Ginger Creams
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Ingredients:
1/4 C shortening
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 C molasses
2 C flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 C water

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add egg, beating well. Stir in molasses. Sift together dry ingredients; add them alternately to creamed mixture and water. Bake 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Frost with confectioners icing. Yield 3 dozen.
Compliments of Dorothy Wendt.

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Notes by Jodi:

Cream together shortening and sugar in mixer set on lowest setting. Add egg, beating well. Stir in molasses. Whisk dry ingredients together in large bowl if you don’t have a sifter (I don’t). Add them to the creamed mixture of shortening and sugar, alternating adding them with adding water to the creamed mixture. Drop by small spoonfuls onto aluminum covered baking cookie sheets. (Small, because they spread out tremendously while baking to produce very large cookies.) Bake 8 minutes at 400 degrees F. Frost with Vanilla icing – pre-packaged is fine. Otherwise, read the confectioner’s sugar box for the buttercream frosting (a standard recipe on the side of the confectioner’s sugar box.)

Candied Orange Zest

From Everyday Food magazine:

In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest of 1 orange (peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler); simmer, swirling occasionally, until zest is tender. 8-10 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a plate. Dredge zest in sugar, and thinly slice.

Cranberry Trifle (from Everyday Food magazine)

2 bags (12 oz each) cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 T finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese, room temp.
1/4 c packed light-brown sugar
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
2 c heavy cream
2 homemade or store-bought all-butter pound cakes (12 oz each), cut into 3/4" thick slices
Candied Orange Zest (below) for garnish (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 C granulated sugar, ginger, and 2 c water. Bring to a simmer over medium; cook until cranberries begin to burst, 8-10 minutes. Let compote cool completely.

2. Make cream filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and vanilla on high until well combined. With mixer on medium, gradually add heavy cream; continue beating until soft peaks form.

3. Arrange 1/3 of cake in a 3-qt serving dish. Spoon 1/3 of compote over cake; spread to sides of dish. Dollop 1/3 of cream filling over compote; spread to sides of dish. Repeat twice, ending with cream filling. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 yours (or up to 1 day). Garnish with Candied Orange Zest, if desired.

Bananas Foster Stir Fry

I got this recipe from my Pampered Chef consultant. :)


5 medium bananas
1 can (284mL) butterscotch ice cream topping
1 lemon
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon rum extract (or 1/4 cup rum)
4 cups frozen vanilla low-fat yogurt or ice cream

1.)Slice bananas using Egg Slicer Plus. Zest whole lemon using lemon Zester/Scorer; set aside. Juice lemon to measure 1/4 cup juice.

2.) Combine butterscotch, lemon juice and cinnamon in Stir-Fry Skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Stir in bananas and rum.

3.) For each serving, spoon about 1/2 cup of the banana mixture over a scoop of frozen yogurt. Garnish with lemon zest.

Cook's Tip: To serve Bananas Foster Stir-Fry over toasted pound cake, preheat oven to 350°F. Slice pound cake into 1/2 inch slices and place on Rectangle Stone. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden and toasted.

Mango Cream

Mango Cream

1 Serving
If you haven't eaten mango, this is an easy way to introduce this delicious fruit into your diet. Pick a ripe mango that feels firm and smells good. You may be able to buy frozen mango, which works fine for this recipe. For a festive touch, layer the mango cream with fresh berries in a parfait glass and top with chopped almonds.

Ingredients:
1 ripe mango
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

Instructions:
Peel the mango and cut the ripe portion of the fruit into pieces (The portion around the stone will be hard.). Put the mango in a blender or food processor with the yogurt. Blend until smooth.

Maple Baked Custard

3 Servings

This simple custard is "baked" on top of the stove. It is equally good for breakfast as it is for a snack or dessert. Serve it with seasonal fruit.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup skim milk or soy milk
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
Ground nutmeg

Instructions:
1. Combine eggs, milk, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk or beat until well blended.

2. Pour into 3 glass custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

3. Place the custard cups on a folded paper towel in a skillet with a tight fitting lid. Pour water into the pan, about 1 inch deep, and cover.

4. Bring the water to a rolling boil.

Remove pan from heat and let sit for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.

5. Serve warm or cold.

Diet Coke Cake

1 box instant chocolate or devil's food cake mix
12 oz diet coke or coke zero

Directions

1. Pour 1 box chocolate instant cake mix into a bowl

2. Stir in 12 oz of Diet Coke of Coke Zero

3. Can be put into one pan for rectangular cake, round cake, or can be poured into muffin pan for cup cakes

4. Bake at approx 350 degrees for approx 35 - 40 mins

5. Nuts can be added as desired, will affect nutritional value

6. Calories 170 per serving

Ginger Almond Pears

6 Servings

Pears are one of the few fruits that actually improve in texture and flavor after being picked a little green. You can store them in a paper bag for a couple of days to speed up ripening. A little softness around the stems and a change in skin color means they're ready. Bartletts, red Bartletts, or Anjou varieties have the best flavor and are good for cooking. When the time comes for thickening the pear sauce, I prefer arrowroot over cornstarch, although it is a little harder to find. Arrowroot comes from a tropical tuber whose root stalks are dried and ground into a fine starchy powder that's very easy to digest. Sauces thickened with arrowroot are a little finer than those thickened with cornstarch but you can use either.

The most potent ingredient in this dessert is the ginger. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is known throughout the world for its tonic and spiritually uplifting properties. When used fresh, it's especially effective at improving digestion and calming nausea and indigestion — making it a great follow-up to any hearty meal.

Ingredients:
5 firm ripe pears
3 cups apple cider
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Salt to taste

Instructions:
1. Peel the pears, quarter them lengthwise, and core. Slice pears thinly and place in a saucepan with the apple cider and ginger root. Add a pinch of salt.

2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until pears are tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Dissolve cornstarch or arrowroot in 1/3 cup cold water and add to the simmering pears, stirring, until the sauce is thick and clear.

4. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Serve warm or cold.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Serves 8; 261 calories per serving, 6 g of fat

Ingredients:
1/2 cup(s) matzah meal
1/3 cup(s) nuts, walnuts
2 large egg(s)
1 1/4 cup(s) sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup(s) apple(s)
2 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 ounce(s) chocolate, semisweet
8 large egg white(s)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine matzo meal and walnuts in a food processor; process until nuts are finely chopped. Spread on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until blended. Stir in the matzo mixture, apple, cocoa, and chocolate.

In a large, clean bowl, beat egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until glossy, stiff peaks form.

Stir one-quarter of the beaten whites into the batter. Then gently fold in remaining whites with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan, spreading evenly. Tap pan lightly on counter to release air bubbles.

Bake torte until top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. With a knife, loosen edges of torte. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. (Torte will sink in center.)

Remove torte from pan and place on a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Easy Cobbler

1-cup flour 1⁄2 cup butter or margarine
1-cup sugar 1 tsp. baking powder
1⁄2 cup milk 29 oz. can sliced peaches with juice
Note: Any desired fruit or berry will work.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place butter in bottom of baker. Place in oven just long enough to melt the butter. Remove from oven when melted. Sift flour, sugar and baking powder into Classic Batter Bowl. Then add milk. Mix well with whisk to make a batter. Pour the batter over the melted butter. Heat the fruit and juice.

Pour the warm fruit and juice over the batter. DO NOT STIR.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 min. The butter will creep through the fruit and make a crust on top.

Blueberry Pie

8 servings

This delightful pie is loaded with these dark-blue gems. The cooked and cooled filling is poured into a 9-inch baked pie crust.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2 tbsp cold water
1 baked Easy Pie Crust

Instructions:
1. Heat the blueberries in a saucepan over medium heat until they begin to boil. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.

2. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon, and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Mix the cornstarch or arrowroot well with the water, and pour mixture into the simmering blueberries while stirring. Cook, stirring, until mixture becomes clear and thick. Continue to cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool.

4. Spoon mixture into pie crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
163 calories
2 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
36 g carbohydrate
2 g protein
3 g fiber

Chocolate Chunk Peanut Butter Brownies

Got this recipe from a Domino brown sugar bag.

1 C peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
1 stick butter, softened
2 1/2 C Domino Demerara Washed Raw Sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 C self-rising flour
1 (12 oz) pkg semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup Domino Demerara Washed Raw Sugar topping, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Cream peanut butter, butter and Domino Demerara Sugar until light in color. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Stir in the flour then fold in the chocolate chunks. Pour batter into prepared pan. For a crunchy top, sprinkle generously with 1/2 cup of Domino Demerara Sugar. Bake 25-30 min. Brownies will sink slightly in the center while cooling. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Holiday Peppermint Pie

Crust:
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
1/3 C butter, melted
1/4 C sugar

Filling:
3/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and divided
1 pkg (250 g) cream cheese, softened
4 C (1 L) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1/2 C milk
1/2 t peppermint extract
3-4 drops red food coloring (optional)
1 pkg (3.4 oz / 102 g) white chocolate or vanilla instant pudding mix
6 small candy canes or 8 peppermint candies, crushed (about 1/4 cup)

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In large bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar until well blended. Press evenly into bottom and sides of Deep Dish Pie Plate, using Baker's Roller. Bake 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool completely.

2. Place chocolate in small bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on "high" 1 minute or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring after each 20-second interval. Spread half of the chocolate over the bottom and partway up the sides of the crush; set remaining chocolate aside.

3. In large bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth. Set aside 1/ C of the whipped topping for garnish. Add remaining whipped topping, milk, peppermint extract and food coloring to cream cheese; whisk until smooth. Add pudding mix; whisk vigorously until mixture is blended and very thick. Immediately spoon filling into crust; spread evenly.

4. If necessary, reheat remaining melted chocolate in microwave on "high" for 10-15 seconds; drizzle over pie. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Pipe rosettes of whipped topping around edge of pie. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrients per serving: Calories 320, Total fat 19 g, Saturated Fat 13 g, Sodium 240 mg.

Favorite Pumpkin Pie Recipe

"by Tonkcats #4170: Printed from www.recipezaar.com"

1 unbaked pastry shell (10-inch)
3 C fresh pumpkin, cooked
1 C milk
3 egg yolks
3 egg whits
1 t salt
1/4 t cloves
1 1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 c sugar

1. mash and drain cooked pumpkin

2. add beaten egg yolks

3. stir in spices, salt and sugar. mix well

4. beat egg whites until stiff and fold into pumpkin mixture. pour into unbaked crush

5. bake at 400 degrees F. for 40 minutes. If knife comes out clean, pie is done.

Caramel Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

Topping: 1 1/3 cup oats
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup toasted almonds
a pinch of salt
12/ T of butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted

Filling:
6 green apples (peeled and sliced)
2 C sugar
1/4 C corn syrup
1/4 C water
1/2 C heavy cream
2T cornstarch mixed with 2 T cold water

Directions:
To make the topping, combine the oats, flour, sugars, nuts, and salt. Stir until blended. Pour the melted butter over and mix with the fork. Chill in the fridge until ready to use.

To make the filling, whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 C water. Cook over medium heat without whisking until you have achieved an amber color syrup. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream very carefully. Return to the heat and add the apples. Cook until the apples have softened slightly. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook until the mixture is thick. Pour into a square baking dish, and crumble the topping over the fruit filling. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Courtesy of my friend, Jagi. :)

1/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups of pumpkin
1/2 cups cream
5 egg whites


Cream butter add sugar

Add egg yoke, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, pumpkin, cream

Egg whites -- beat till firm but not dry

Stir in ¼ whites, then fold in remaining whites. Poor into pie shell.


350 45-50 minutes

Jen's Sour Cream Apple Pie

From one of the pre-school moms - she said this is really easy!

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3/4 C sour cream
1 egg
2/3 C sugar
1/4 t nutmeg
3 lbs sliced tart apples
1 pie shell

Topping:
1/2 C flour
1/3 brown sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 C cold butter in pieces
1/4 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk sour cream & egg then whisk sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg. Stir in apples - spread in unbaked pieshell mounding in center.

Top - mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, cut in butter. Stir in walnuts. Sprinkle over the pie.

Bake 50-60 minutes until brown and tender.

Molten Chocolate Mini Cakes

Courtesy of Pampered Chef: Season's Best recipe collection, 2007

6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (60% cocoa)
1/2 C (1 stick) butter (do not substitute margarine)
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
3/4 C all-purpose flour

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously spray wells of Silicone Floral Cupacke Pan with nonstick cooking spray. Wipe off excess cooking spray from top surface of pan; set pan aside. Coarsely chop chocolate using Chef's Knife. Combine chocolate and butter in Classic Batter Bowl; microwave on HIGH 1-2 minutes or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring after each 30-second interval. Remove chocolate mixture from microwave; cool 5 minutes.

2. Whisk eggs and egg yolks into chocolate mixture using Stainless Whisk. Add sugar and flour; mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated using Classic Scraper.

3. Divide batter equally among wells using slightly mounded Large Scoop. Bake 13-14 minutes or until outside edges are set and center is still liquid. (Cracks will appear wet. Do not overbake.)

4 Remove pan from oven; immediately place inverted Simple Additions Large Round Platter over pan. Carefully invert pan. Gently press on tops and sides of wells to loosen cakes. Slowly lift pan, checking to see that all cakes have released before lifting pan completely. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

Yield: 12 servings.

Maple Pecan Pie

From Chesapeake magazine - for local recipes in Northern Virginia & Maryland around the Chesapeake Bay.

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The crust of this pie, when made with Wade's Mill Unbleached All Purpose FLour and unsalted butter from Trickling Springs Creamery has flecks of nutty bran and a crumbly texture that is a perfect foil for the richness of the maple filling. But it can be temperamental to handle; a purchased pie crust works well too.

Crust:
2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 t coarse salt
1 t sugar
3/4 C chilled butter
3-4 T ice water

Filling:
3 eggs
3/4 C pure maple syrup
1/2 C Maple sugar
2 T melted butter
1 1/4 C chopped pecans

For the crust:
Stir together flour, salt and sugar, then cut in butter using a pastry cutter or two knives until it forms clumps the size of small peas. Sprinkle ice water over and mix swiftly until the mass comes together in a ball. Divide into two halves. Pat each out into a disk on a large square of plastic wrap. Put one in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Put the other in the freezer for future use.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the dough has chilled, place it on a floured board and roll gently to a circumference to fit a 9" pie shell. Keep the surface well floured. When the dough is at the right size, carefully roll it up onto your rolling pin to transfer it to the pie plate. This dough will be prone to breaking, but just squeeze any little holes together with your fingers and patch large holes with pieces of broken dough. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs slightly, then beat in the maple syrup, maple sugar, and melted butter. Add the pecans and stir to incorporate. Pour the filling into the crust, and move it around with a spoon a little to ensure the pecans are evenly distributed. Carefully place the cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the pie puffs up like a dome and does not jiggle when you gently shake the pan. Remove from the oven. The puffiness will shrink as the pie cools. Serve slightly warm or chilled.

Serves 8-10.