Cocoa Brownies (recipe from Bon Appetit)

I love trying out new recipes, and while I usually play around with new recipes when I'm cooking, baking is an entirely different story. My rule is that the recipe should be followed precisely the first time when baking, and then after that you can fiddle and fix all you want.

In the December 2012 Bon Appetit issue they had a recipe for Cocoa Brownies that looked divine, and it boasted being easy peasy so of course I had to give it a whirl. Also, I don't know about you but I'm more likely to have cocoa powder in my cupboard than squares of baker's chocolate, so this recipe was enticing because it didn't force me to put on pants on my day off. It's the little things in life that make me happy.

The Verdict: These are chocolate squares of heaven.


This recipe is essentially the same as the original, except I added in my notes about what I did and what I would do next time.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 8x8x2 glass baking dish with foil and grease it (next time I will use parchment paper because that's just my preference for lining dishes for bars). 
2. Melt the butter in a small bowl and set aside (I put the full block in a bowl in the microwave for 60 seconds). Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then slowly whisk in the butter. Add the vanilla (I usually triple the amount suggested), then one egg at a time, whisking as you go. Add the flour and fold into batter (I switched from whisk to large spoon at this stage to keep the fuss minimal) -- be careful not to over mix. 
3. Pour the batter and spread evenly into the prepared dish, then bake for 25-30 minutes -- test by inserting a knife - should come out clean or with a few crumbs (I baked mine in the middle of the oven for almost 35 minutes, so keep an eye on your brownies!). Cool on a wire rack before cutting (at this point you could even dust them with cocoa powder or powdered sugar).

Here is the original recipe. Trust me, this is worth the click.

Split Pea and Ham Soup - second version!

My bf's mom makes an incredible split pea and ham soup, and I have used her recipe for a slow cooker version in the past, but today I was feeling adventurous and wild and ambitious and hungry so I decided to use it again, but this time with my secret weapon: Ham Hock. Ok, it's not really my secret weapon since today is the first time I had the guts to actually buy one, but I tell ya, it is going to be my secret weapon from now on. My bf's mom uses ham bones in her soup, and I always knew that my boneless split pea and ham soup was missing something.... ding ding ding! A bone! Well, my local grocery stores don't often have ham bones laying around but they do have ham hocks (which, by the way, are extremely inexpensive so it's hard to come up with enough excuses to skip the hock).

I'll be honest - I was intimidated by the ham hock for a few years, and I'm so glad I got past that fear today because it is so delicious! Plus, this recipe requires a bit of TLC but it's easy so don't be afraid.

Here is my updated recipe for split pea and ham soup.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb ham hock
• 2 1/2 cups dried split peas
• 3 carrots, shredded
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 8 cups chicken stock

 Directions:

All ingredients together in the pot

1. Place all ingredients in your dutch oven (or a heavy-bottomed pan). Bring to a boil, then simmer with the lid on for 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally. 
2. Remove the ham hock and set in the fridge to cool enough to touch (about 1 hour). Continue simmering the soup. 
3. Once the ham is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin (thick outer layer). Then use a knife to cut away the excess fat (I left a a little on the meat just because I can!), and peel off the meat in small chunks and add to the soup. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, then serve hot. 

 Alternatively, if you don't want to use a ham hock you can use a ham bone with meat on it, or even plain old ham without the bone (this is still yummy, but bones lend a special flavor to soup that you don't want to miss!). 

Buttered Cabbage

Cabbage is such an interesting ingredient, in my opinion. It is peppery and crunchy raw, yet when you cook it it takes on a creamier, more subtle flavor. Even more exciting is that it takes on the flavor of the sauce you cook it in, so the possibilities are endless. I love cooking cabbage with apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, honey, dill, oh me oh my it's endless!!!  But, sometimes the most simple recipes are the most delicious, and in this case I think that rings very true.


Ingredients:

• 1 head of green cabbage
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Meanwhile, slice up the cabbage to your liking (I like long thin strips, but more chunky portions of leaves are yummy, too!). 
2. Add the cabbage when the butter is bubbling, stir, then pour in the water. Cook for 30 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  The cabbage will become more translucent and the water should cook off.
3. Add in salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper). Serve hot with sausage, pork, ham, or peppered steaks. 

Corn Chowder

The other day the universe kept presenting corn chowder to me: it showed up on Stumbleupon, all over Pinterest, on my recipe generator... So I knew I had to make it (plus after seeing it over and over I had a serious craving to satisfy!).

Here is my version of corn chowder (feel free to play around with quantities and variations- this chowder is perfect for that!)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup canned diced green chiles
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 slices thick cut bacon, diced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups chicken stock 
• 2 cups cream 
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (think cheddar, pepperjack)
• 3 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tsp cayenne powder

 Directions:

1. Heat a large stock pot to medium heat. Add in the butter, onion, green chiles, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. 
2. Add in the bacon, stir to mix it in, then slowly add the flour to the mix, stirring constantly to coat the bacon and veggies. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, then gradually add the stock and the milk, alternating 1 cup each at a time. Add in the corn, then bring the chowder to a boil. Add in the cheese, taste the chowder, then season accordingly (listed are the amounts I used).  
3. Simmer for 20-30 minutes over low heat so that the chowder can thicken. Serve hot with slices of crusty baguette or alongside a salad. 

This chowder saves well and is excellent for weekday lunches!

Variations:
- use 3 large bell peppers instead of the green chiles for a more mild pepper flavor
- add chorizo or Italian sausage instead of bacon
- serve over a bed of rice with salsa, sour cream, and tomatoes
- add in a can of beans and use vegetarian stock instead of using bacon and chicken stock for a hearty vegetarian twist
- add roasted jalapenos and roasted garlic instead of green chiles and raw garlic