Chocolate Decadence

melted unsalted butter
12 oz sweet dark chocolate
14 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 cup water
12 oz granulated sugar
1 pound 2 oz soft unsalted butter
12 eggs
6 oz sugar
light chocolate shavings - decoration

Brush melted butter over 2 - 10" round pans. Place rounds of baking paper in bottom and butter the papers.

Cut the dark chocolate and unsweetened chocolate into small pieces

bring the water and 12 oz of sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and add the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted and completely incorporated. Add butter in chunks and stir until melted. Set aside until it reaches room temp.

Whip the eggs in with the 6 oz of sugar on high for about 3 minutes. The egg mix should be light and fluffy. Gently fold in the egg mix into the chocolate mixture.

Divide the batter between the two pans and place in a water bath.

Bake 350 for about 40 minutes or until the tops feel firm.

Refrigerate the cakes for at least 2 hours or overnight.

To release/unmold from pans, place pans over the burner on the stove. Heat just enough that you can free the cake from the mold.

TO MAKE WHIP CREAM:
2 tbsp sugar
3 cups heavy cream

Whip until light and fluffy.

TO MAKE RASPBERRY SAUCE:
6 oz raspberries (or any mixed fruit)
1/2 lb sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup water

Slurry:
1/2 oz corn starch
2 oz water

Boil together raspberries, sugar, juice, and water. Dissolve cornstarch in water and add. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and strain.

Basic Scone

A simple way to shape and cut scones are to use Saran wrap and place inside a 9" round pan. Pour batter/mix in pan and press down. Flip out on floured top, remove Saran wrap and cut.

6 oz All purpose flour
8 oz Bread flour
1.5 oz sugar
1.5 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

mix thoroughly. If your adding dry ingredients like: oats, zest or berries add this now.

13 oz heavy cream
2 oz honey

Mix well together and if your adding wet ingredients, add it now.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix.

Pour/shape your mix, cut and place on baking sheet.

Take some heavy cream and brush on top and sprinkle sugar on top before baking.

Bake 425 for 15 minutes.

VARIATION - add to basic scone recipe

Cranberry Orange
1/2 cup dried cranberries
orange juice
3/4 tbsp orange zest
1/4 tbsp orange flavor

Put cranberries into a microwave safe measuring cup and add orange juice. Cover the cranberries with juice. Microwave for about a min or until hot. Cover and let stand for 1 hr. Uncover and let cool to room temp.

Add orange zest to dry ingredients and sift through.
Add orange flavor to the cream and honey mixture and stir well.

Pour wet ingredients to the dry. Use a slotted spoon and remove cooled cranberries and place in bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Gently mix everything together.

If you want a drizzle top (like Starbucks) take powdered sugar and add orange juice till it reaches the consistency you want.

Pastry Cream - pudding

This is similar to instant pudding but MUCH BETTER. Well worth the extra little effort.

1 qt milk
4 oz sugar

4 egg yolks (or 2.5 oz)
2 eggs (or 3.5 oz)
2.5 oz cornstarch (make sure to measure by weight)
4 oz sugar

2 oz butter
1 tbsp vanilla

In a heavy saucepan, dissolve sugar in the milk and just bring to a boil (take off burner)

Whisk/beat the egg yolks and whole eggs in a stainless-steal bowl
Sift in cornstarch and sugar in the eggs.

Temper the egg mixture in the hot milk (slowly add the egg mix into milk)

Return the milk mixture to the stove and bring to a boil (stir constantly)

When mixture comes to a boil and thickens remove from heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla. Mix till butter is completely melted and everything is mixed well.

Pour into a 9 X 13 pan and completely cover the top with Saran wrap. Make sure that the Saran wrap is covering the edges and corners well.

Place in fridge and let cool.


VARIATIONS

Deluxe Pastry Cream
Omit the whole eggs and use 8-10 egg yolks

Chocolate Pastry Cream
Melt 2 oz sweet chocolate and 2 oz unsweetened chocolate. Stir in hot pastry cream.

Coffee Pastry Cream
Add 2 tbsp instant coffee powder to the milk when your 1st bringing to a boil (before you add the egg mixture).

Chili Mac - Crock Pot

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 cup onion - chopped (1 large)
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 (15 oz) can chili beans in chili gravy (undrained)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (undrained) - can use rotel
1 cup beef broth
3/4 cup green bell pepper - chopped (1 medium)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz dried pasta - macaroni or cavatappi
Shredded cheese - garnish
Chopped green onion - garnish

In a large skillet cook meat, onions and garlic on medium. Drain off fat

Combine meat mixture, chili beans, tomatoes, broth, green bell pepper, chili powder, cumin and salt in crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.

While meat mixture is cooking in crock pot, cook pasta and drain. Stir cooked pasta into meat mixture and finish cooking.

Garnish with shredded cheese and chopped onions.

Ham, Gouda, and Tater bake - Crock Pot

4 cups frozen hash browns - diced
1/2 lb cooked ham - chopped
3/4 cup red bell pepper - chopped (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup onion - chopped (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 cup shredded Gouda (about 6 oz)
6 eggs - lightly beaten (about 1 1/2 cups if you use egg beaters)
1 can cream of potato soup (10 3/4 oz)
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp pepper
8 English muffins - split and toasted

Combine (and mix) hash browns, ham, red pepper, onion, and cheese in the crock pot.

In a medium bowl whisk; eggs, soup, milk, and pepper. Pour over potato mixture.

Cover and cook 6 - 7 hours.

Serve spooned over English muffins.

Blackening rub

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt

Fish Tacos

1 mango - peeled, pitted, and cubed
1 avacado - peeled, pitted, and cubed
1/2 red onion - chopped
Juice of 1 lime (plus wedges for garnish)
Chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper
canola oil
2 large mahimahi fillets ( 1 1/2 lbs total)
1 tbsp blackening spice (see blackening spice post for recipe)
8 corn tortillas
2 cup finely shredded red cabbage

Mix mango, avocado, onion and juice of lime in a bowl. Season with cilantro, salt, and pepper

Heat grill (or grill pan) until hot. Drizzle a little oil on the fish and rub the blackening spice on. Cook the fish for about 4 minutes. Carefully flip and cook another 4 minutes.

Warm the tortillas on the grill (for about 1-2 minutes) or wrap in damp towel and microwave for about a minute.

Break the fish into chunks and divide amount the tortillas. Top with cabbage and the mango salsa.

Artichoke Feta Quiche

3 extra large eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 can (14 oz) Artichoke hearts - drained and chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tbsp sundried tomatoes - chopped
2 links of sausage - cooked and chopped
3/4 tsp kosher salt
pepper - to taste
1 frozen pie crust

Heat oven to 350.

Whisk eggs until frothy then add milk, artichoke, feta, tomatoes, sausage, salt and pepper

Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until eggs are set.

Cool for 5 minutes before serving

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.

In another bowl, mix eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients. Make sure to mix until just moistened.

Fold in semisweet chocolate chips.

Pour into 2 greased loaf pans.

Bake 350 for 60-70 minutes (or until toothpick inserted comes out clean).

Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.