Mary Jo's Chocolate Heaven

Serves 9

1 C. flour, sifted        3/4 C. sugar         2T. vegetable oil
2t. baking powder     5 1/2 T. cocoa     1 C. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 t. salt                  1/2 C. skim milk   1 3/4 C. hot water

Sift flour with all dry ingredients except 4 T. cocoa and the brown sugar.  Mix in milk and oil.  Spread in greased 8" x 8" x 2" pan.  Mix remaining cocoa and all brown sugar; sprinkle over batter.  Dribble hot water evenly onto batter.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.  Cake rises to the top;  sauce forms in the bottom!  Serve hot with ice cream.    

Lowfat Indulgence.....just 3.5 grams of fat

Marilyn's Ciabatta Bread.....originally Judy's

Because of the rising time, you need to plan ahead for this one, but the process is very simple.

 

4 cups flour (I usually use 3 ½ c white and ½ c whole wheat)

¼ t dry yeast

1 ½ t salt

2 c water

 

Combine the dry ingredients, then add the water in a very large bowl. Stir until the mixture looks loose and quite fluid.

Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and put aside on your kitchen counter (not the fridge) for at least 18 hours. (I’ve left it for up to 24 hours)

 

3 to 4 hours before you want to serve it, turn the dough out onto an oiled surface such as a counter or cutting board. It will still be very fluid (I described it as flowing like silly putty).

 

Shape as best you can into a rounded shape (or cut it in half and make 2 smaller breads).  Place on greased baking sheet, dust lightly with flour or corn meal, cover with damp towel, and let sit for another 2 hours. Leave plenty of space… it continues to spread and rise during the 2 hours and again during baking.

 

Preheat oven to  425 and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned and the bread sounds hollow when tapped.

 

ADDITIONS: You can add anything you like at the shaping stage: I added 1 ½ c chopped pitted kalamata olives. Others suggested roasted garlic, rosemary, raisins, dried cranberries. These sound yummy… I’ve got to try them (just not all at once!)

 

I just found out that “ciabatta” means “slipper” – hence the free-form shape of this thing after baking.

 

Diane''s Moroccan Carrot Soup

Moroccan Carrot Soup
has been sent to you from Diane

Diane wants you to know: Glad you liked it!

You can view the complete recipe online at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/357911
 
Moroccan Carrot Soup
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup chopped white onion
1 pound large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 2/3 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred to loosen

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in carrots. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes; cool. Finely grind in spice mill.

Remove soup from heat. Puree in batches in blender until smooth. Return to same pan. Whisk in honey, lemon juice, and allspice. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle yogurt over; sprinkle generously with cumin.


Bon Appétit
April 2010

Mary Jo's Funny Cake

 

Cream together:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 stick butter

.

Then add: 

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Put batter into 2 already made pie crusts.

 

In another bowl, Mix: 

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

3/4 cup hot water

1 tsp. vanilla

(I double this for a real chocolaty bottom)

Pour chocolate on top of batter in pie crusts, very carefully, distributing evenly. 

Bake at 375 degrees for approx. 35 minutes or until testing with toothpick in center comes out cleanly.

 

Diane's Cheese Spread

Hattie's Goat Cheese Torta with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
philocrates 5/17/02 9:26:01 pm
Serves 25.
This is a killer party item. My friends stand around and inhale this stuff. If there's any leftover, it's great the next day. I usually make my own pesto but the stuff you can buy in the refrigerator bin at the grocery store is okay, too.
6 ounces goat cheese
4 ounce cream cheese
Garlic, peeled, smushed, and chopped (I usually put in lots
    and more, at least 8 cloves. It's up to you.)
1/2 cup pesto (at least)
1/2 cup chopped up fine oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes,
    including 1 - 2 teaspoons of the marinade
Decorate with fresh herbs, such as branches of thyme, oregano, rosemary, parsley, and sliced baguettes.
Mix goat cheese and cream cheese, add the garlic. Check the taste. Add salt and black pepper if you want.
Line a small glass bowl (about 2 - 3 cups) with plastic wrap. Put about 1/3 of the goat cheese mix into the bowl. Top this with the pesto. Put another 1/3 of the goat cheese mix on top of this. Put the sun-dried tomatoes on this. Top with the rest of the cheese. Put plastic wrap over the top of this. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to four days.
To serve, invert bowl on a serving dish. Carefully remove the plastic wrap. Decorate with herbaceous materials.
Serve with baguettes. Keep out of the way of the devouring mob. Supposed to serve up to 20 - 25 with other horse divers.

Ann's Jasmine Shrimp Special

Jasmine Special

1 cup jasmine rice

1 pound broccoli

1-1/2 lbs. shrimp (21-25 count), peeled

1/3 cup salad dressing (use any vinaigrette or Legal's dressing below)

1-1/3 to 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Serves 4

Everything can be precooked and assembled at the last moment

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Cook rice until just cooked through

Trim florets from broccoli, gently boil until just cooked through, drain

Steam or boil shrimp, cool and set aside

Place rice in baking dish

Surround with broccoli florets

Arrange shrimp in rows over rice

Bake for 2-5 minutes or until ingredients are warm

Remove from oven, sprinkle first with dressing then with cheese

Place bakc in oven until cheese melts

Important Hint:  Rice must be warm when adding dressing

Salad Dressing:

1 clove garlic

dry mustard

salt

1/4 cup cider or rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil or mixture of olive & grapeseed oil

Slice garlic, put into glass along with generous pinches of dry mustard and salt.  Cover with vinegar, let sit for at least one hour.  Stir in the oil, remove garlic clove before serving.

Claire's Stuffed Eggplant

Eggplant stuffed with saffron rice, apricots and chickpeas

6 small eggplants (6 inches each) halved lengthwise

6 tablespoons olive oil

   Salt and pepper to taste or extra salt, pepper, garlic powder if you think it needs more spice)

1 cup water

½ cup basmati rice

1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

1 medium onion, chopped

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (1/2 was better)

12 apricots, quartered (better to cut them into smaller pieces)

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained

1/3 cup of sliced almonds

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Set oven at 375. Have on hand two 9 by 13 inch baking dishes

With sharp-edge spoon, scoop out the eggplant pulp, leaving a ¼ inch shell. Arrange eggplant shells in baking dishes in one layer, Brush with 4 Tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Pour ¼ inch water into bottom of each dish. Cover with foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until shells are tender when pierced with a skewer.. (May be a shorter time also). Transfer them to plate to cool. Discard Water in baking dish.

    Meanwhile, coarsely chop the eggplant pulp. In small saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil and add rice, a generous pinch of salt and saffron. (I used cup of water).  Lower the heat and cover the pan.  Cook for 18 minutes until rice is tender when tasted.  Let rice rest, covered for 5 minutes, Fluff with fork.

   In a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil (may need to add more oil), add onion and cook, stirring often for 3 minutes. Add the cinnamon and stir well, add the eggplant pulp, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often or until softened. Stir in apricots, chickpeas, almonds and cooked rice.

   Spoon about ½ cup filling into each eggplant shell.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until hot all the way through.  Serve and sprinkle with chopped parsley.