Dessert, Appetizer and Snacks

Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownies
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Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownies

Jen and Josh were coming and we were excited not just about getting to see them it was the bundle that they were bringing. Actually a double bundle, the twins and just over 7 months old. So why not greet them with a double bundle of our own Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie with chocolate chips. One of the best darn brownies I have ever eaten, soft and chewy just like they claim. Although these days, we don’t make these that often but we thought that this would be perfect for their visit. Something to keep them busy while we played with the babies.  It worked!

Blend a moist, rich brownie with Ghirardelli chocolate chips and the result is a brownie that’s twice as moist…and rich– and twice as delicious!

The luxuriously deep flavor and smooth texture of Ghirardelli Premium Chocolate is the secret to pure brownie perfection. Indulge in this ultra rich, moist and chewy brownie, and experience moments of timeless pleasure with Ghirardelli. IF this sounds like a commercial, it is I took it from their site.

How:

Buy the box and follow the instructions!

Cut them up!    Serve, Yum!

I just have to show you what Lyn and I were excited about

 

You say Charoset, I say Haroset
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You say Charoset, I say Haroset

For some reason my nice gentile wife was craving a good Passover dinner so she made the charoset and I made the matzo ball soup and brisket. I had to run to Ace hardware to get a clothes dryer vent hose and half way there was a call. Picture this she was on the phone batting her eyes asking me to stop and get some matzo. Don’t know what it is but it works every time, those eyes I tell you, I stopped at Shaws grabbed a box and headed home with a hose and matzo.

Not sure about you but the taste always brings me back to when I was a kid, the wooden bowl, curved red handle metal chopper and the job of making the charoset. I felt so important and then there was the taste testing.

Charoset for Passover

Ingredients

  • 3 honey crisp apples
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet wine
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 188/2 cup raisins

How

Place the apples and walnuts into a large bowl. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over the apples. Stir in the honey and sweet wine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving.

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The Best Damn Meyer Lemon Cake

This recipe was sent to me by my sister, I think it was when she heard of my wife’s love of Myer lemons.  I usually don’t like baking, that Lyn’s job, it is to precise with measurements for me. Anyway the title fits I mean really fits made it last night and she wanted some for breakfast this AM. It comes from a site called Saveur. We both thought the almonds flour was a nice touch.

SERVES 8 – 10

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbsp. butter, plus 8 tbsp. melted
  • 2 tbsp. fine dry bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. fine salt
  • 1 1/3 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 2 tsp. lemon extract
  • Zest and juice of 2 Meyer lemons

 INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease a loaf pan measuring 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 2 3/4″ with 1 tbsp. of the butter and dust it with the bread crumbs. Invert and tap out excess crumbs; set aside. In a food processor, grind the almonds until very fine, about 1 minute; set aside. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

2. Put the remaining butter into a large bowl and add 1 cup of the sugar. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just long enough to incorporate, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture in 3 batches, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until mixed after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, about 3 minutes total. Mix in the lemon extract. With the spatula, fold in the lemon zest and ground almonds. (The mixture will be thin.) Turn batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and dry, about 65 minutes.

3. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Prepare the glaze: Combine remaining sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. (Do not boil.) Brush the glaze over the hot cake. (The excess liquid may pool along the sides of the pan; it will absorb completely as it sits.) Once the cake has absorbed all the liquid, turn it out of the pan and allow it to cool upright on a rack. Once it’s cool, wrap the cake with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours before serving.

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The Ultimate Yummy

My brother was a recipient of that chain email I talked even though he did not join he did send me a recipe. He was an inspiration to me working at Danny Kay’s that small Italian restaurant in Falmouth long since gone, making sauces and other delights. I remember walking in when I moved back to the cape from Chicago (at least 3 years had passed) and Paula Rose asked me if I wanted my usual Veal parmesan.  It was the kind of place that you could share stories and sometimes food with people sitting next to you at least my Dad did. I think that is why I can make new friends in a line.

Anyway Mike sent this

Sorry, but I am not into the mass recipe things. But I would like to share this wonderful treat. The problem is that it is really not very good for those on a diet. But it is unbelievably yummy. Once made, it can be frozen and saved for a special day. Nancy’s daughter-in-law made it. It lasted just a few days in our freezer!

Call it what you want. We just call it “The Ultimate Yummy!”

Enjoy!

Nancy and Mike

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • Semi-sweet chocolate chips (doesn’t say how much) I prob use about 1/2 a bag
  • Saltine crackers

How:

Preheat oven to 350

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil

Grease foil and line with saltines

Melt butter and brown sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil stirring constantly. Boil for exactly 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Pour mixture over saltines and spread evenly. Bake for 5 minutes

Remove from oven and put chocolate chips on top. Allow chips to melt and spread evenly

Refrigerate to set. Break up crackers and remove aluminum foil from bottom of the cookies

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve

Here are some tweaks I might try.

Use light brown sugar and no salt butter, use dark chocolate and maybe melts some white chocolate and drizzle on top.  Chopped golden raisins and or nuts pecan or walnuts mmm?  But like I say, try it the cooks way first you should taste what they created.

PS I did a quick Google search on the ingredients and found that this is similar to Saltine Butter/Cracker/nut Toffee so I admit it I grabbed a picture, this is something that I have to stay away from but it sounds soooooo good.