Connie's Pistachio Bars

 

             Connie is   one of my sailing friends, who lives on a New Hampshire beach ( hear the envy?)  and this is  a favorite recipe that her  kids - and now grandkids -  ask for.   I  tweaked it just  a tad by adding a dab of color and  the  pistachios.  I've tried  chopped pistachios in  the batter  too  but I think just a few  on top is better, for the same reason that  I don't let a few extra  chocolate chips fall in  -  I think too much chocolate  distracts  from  the pistachio  flavor.     I know, I know....'too much chocolate" is a bizarre concept!  

Any  one-bowl process cookie   gets extra points  from me, and other than the pudding mix, the basic recipe is just pantry staples so this  recipe has lots  going for it, not to mention the unique  pistachio element.   And please, be verrrrry stingy with the  food color - it shouldn't be bright green.  The tiniest smidgen should do it!**

 Mix together:  3 eggs, 1  1/2 c. sugar, 2/3 c. veg oil, and then add 1 1/2c. flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 box pistachio pudding mix*, a  teeny drop of green food color** and 6-oz.  semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Place the thick batter  in an ungreased 9x13 pan, smooth the top  with the back of a spatula sprayed a bit,  and ( optional!)  sprinkle  a few   chopped pistachios on top, then bake in a preheated 350 oven  for about 25 - 35 minutes.  Let the pan cool on a rack  and slice  them while still  just a little  warm so the edges don't tear later.     They taste even better  after they 'age' overnight.    Once cool,  store covered,  at room temperature and enjoy the compliments.    Thanks, Connie for sharing!

* Don't struggle to find a box marked  'instant'  pistachio pudding mix.   All the pistachio brands  are instant, but  don't state it,  like some other flavors do. If still in doubt,  read the directions to see if it says  how to "cook".    It won't !

** Really, don't let  much  food color  hit the batter, it's hard to control the drop size, and the batter  can too easily  become an ugly, vivid kelly-green.  The batter looks pretty on its own, but fades when baked, so  a little green will revive the pretty pastel shade.   Remember this recipe , though, for St. Patrick's Day  when no green is "too" green!   I  put a 'drop'  on the blade of a knife so I can swipe just part of it off into the batter.  It will be  a very pale pistachio green  naturally  anyway, this  should just give a  tiny  color boost.

Soft Red Velvet Cookies

  Off to a quick start with  a cake mix, making  it easy to  put these together.    They're  pretty, soft, and surprisingly tasty, with a moist center.   I always  double the recipe, but I'll leave that decision up to you. T his is the single-batch recipe:

Preheat the oven to 375 for at least 15 minutes.  Melt 5 TB butter or margarine and let it cool.  Stir it into one box of dry red-velvet cake mix.    I prefer Duncan Hines brand but it probably doesn't matter.  Be sure that the butter's cooled a bit  before you add 2 eggs  and the zest of one lemon or orange.  The batter will be very stiff so use a strong arm and a strong spoon to be sure all the dry  mix is incorporated.

In a small bowl combine  1/2 c. powdered sugar and 1 tsp cornstarch and use a fork to mix it really well. Now, about  the red hands.....

Helpful hint:   use plastic medical or food-grade  thin gloves to roll the  dough...the mix isn't  intended by the manufacturer  to be  handled   and  there's lots of red food coloring in it  that you won't want to wear on your hands for a day or two.   Spraying  your hands with Pam  might help but just did not completely prevent the staining for me.

Wearing the gloves -- or not --  spray the palms of  the gloves very  lightly with Pam and roll the dough into balls.  The original recipe said it makes "24 small".  If  you want tea-party-sized, one-bite cookies, go for it and you may have 24.   I always make mine  larger, and  only get about  12-15 cookies.  That's why I always double the recipe to end up with about 3 dozen  average-sized cookies.

Drop each ball in the bowl of sugar mix* and coat them well before placing on an ungreased cookie sheet to bake.   The  time is dependent upon the size.  For those teeny ones, figure about 9 minutes, and maybe 11 or 12 for the biggest ones.  Take them out  when they are almost solid but  still at the point when you question the center's condition just a bit...is it time or not?... take them out.   Leave them on the sheet for about a minute to settle slightly, then remove to racks or newspaper to cool  completely.  They freeze well  and stay soft in sealed containers or baggies.  The  powdered sugar  stays on better when  there's a layer of plastic or parchment between them.

*  If you double the recipe, you  won't need to  double the sugar mixture.

Almond Joy Brownie Bombs

  They're  big and rich and nearly sinful. And simple to make. And very popular, for all those reasons. Not  to mention  just  5   ingredients.   

I  bake a chewy,  not fudgy,  boxed brownie mix  mix in a mini-cupcake pan.   One standard box makes  48 substantial  3-bite  cupcake-shaped brownies.   I've also  tried baking  the mix in a  jellyroll pan and simply cutting it into small squares -- but they are just not sturdy enough for what  follows!  What seemed as though  it might be a shortcut became a structural failure.  The base has to be sturdy enough to support the top,  and needs those  slightly crusty  'side walls'.   Baking in the cupcake-shapes lends the necessary infrastructure.  If you have a favorite  brownie recipe and want to make it from scratch, have at it.  A mix is far, far  easier.

                        So, bake the mix into mini brownie 'cupcakes'  and cool completely.

Mix 4 cups coconut very well  with one can sweetened condensed milk and  roll a teaspoon-ish size ball for each brownie.  Top each brownie with a ball of coconut and  gently press a  whole almond  on top.    Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes to chill  or freeze.

Melt a  12 oz bag*  of semisweet or dark chocolate chips ( not milk chocolate) with about a tablespoon solid shortening.  Dip each brownie bite in the chocolate, top down, to cover all the coconut and part or all of the sides of the brownie. Don't try to  dip or cover the base.   Touch up any big bare areas on the sides  by dripping a bit from a spoon.    Dipping completely to cover the bottom  is way too messy, both now and  when eating.  Place  them  on a  tray lined with foil or parchment  and chill  briefly to quickly set the chocolate.   

They don't  require  refrigeration  but  will keep  fresh longer if they are kept cold.   Stored in a  sealed baggie  they will last  at least  a week or  two  in the  refrigerator.  

* be prepared to  need  almost  6-8 oz more, depending how thickly  you coat them. While  increasing the amount of shortening slightly will make the coating thinner and  more fluid,  it will also make  the process  messier, and will take  longer to set.

Copper Cider Ring

Crammed with fruit and  crunchy things,  this pretty  copper-colored salad is the perfect side for any fall meal. It's a  tradition, usually on Thanksgiving.   You'll get  six or eight rather small slices  so I usually  make  several batches.  I'll  save you from great disappointment if you're considering   doubling  or tripling the recipe and the pan size........ some evil culinary chaos happens...so don't.  It  just doesn't  jell well.   Use a 6-cup pan or  mold for  each batch.

Mix  2 envelopes Knox  plain dry gelatin with 1/2 c. sugar  in a saucepan. Add 2 TB lemon juice and 2 TB  water. Cook over low heat, stirring til dissolved. Add 3 cups  hot apple cider, then remove and chill until it's the consistency of unbeaten egg whites.    Then fold in  1 c.  diced unpeeled apple, 1 c. chopped pecans or walnuts, and 1/2 c. finely diced celery.    Carefully fold in 1 or 2 cups mincemeat.   Pour into a 6-cup ring mold or 8" square dish.  Chill well.

Surround with dried or silk fall leaves for a pretty presentation.  There's no need to gild the lily, but if you like to 'saladize'  it, top it  with a  plop of mayo/cool whip mixture & a sprinkle of cinnamon. I don't use old-fashioned mincemeat that actually has meat in it.  For the uninitiated, you'll probably find mincemeat seasonally, near the  other pie fillings in the baking aisle.

Luscious Limeade-Strawberry Cake

Fresh strawberry bits in both  the  intensely flavored dense cake and frosting! Everyone asks for this easy  recipe, using limeade or lemonade. So pretty, moist and flavorful, there's no clue that it starts with a mix. 

Preheat the over to 350, and grease and flour  two 8" or 9" round  cake pans.  When I double this recipe or make a recipe-and-a-half, I bake it in two square 9" pans.
 In a large bowl, combine 1 box white cake mix, 1 cup sour cream, 6oz frozen limeade or lemonade, thawed,   4 oz. softened cream cheese, 3 eggs, and 1 cup rather finely minced fresh strawberries. If you like, add just a drop of  yellow food color  if using lemonade, or a tiny drop of green  to very  faintly look like lime.  Beat on high for about 2 minutes, and  fill prepared pans.  Bake for 30 minutes or until center tests done,  rotating the pans at least once.   Cool for 15 minutes and remove from  the pans to cool.  Cool completely  before icing.

To make the frosting, beat 8 oz. softened cream cheese and 1/3 c. granulated  sugar with a mixer until smooth. Add 2/3 finely  minced fresh strawberries and 1 drop  pink gel food coloring
 ( not liquid). Beat til well blended.  In another bowl beat 1 1/2c. heavy whipping cream with 3 TB. fresh lemon or lime juice on medium until foamy.  Raise speed to high and slowly add 1/3 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture, then  fold in remaining cream.  Frost cake immediately and keep refrigerated.

Sometimes I top the cake with a swirl of strawberry jam in the center, or  arrange sliced fresh strawberries,  chocolate-dipped berries, or strawberry  meringue roses on top.

 

  

Chicken Marbella

A  catering favorite and very popular  entrée  recipe that made the rounds in the 80's,  wonderful for its deep flavor and simplicity of preparation. 

   The original version used  chicken quarters or a cut- up chicken,  but I often served small  legs as a delicious appetizer ----- good at room temperature as well as warm, making one less item that had to be transported and carefully  kept piping  hot.  At that time wings were not  ubiquitous, as they are now, and small legs were a fun surprise on an appetizer  buffet.

If you use boneless chicken parts, reduce the cooking time a bit, but be sure to allow it to  bake long enough to get that deep color and absorb the sweet brown-sugar wine sauce. And don't skip the dried plums & capers, they are important  elements.

If you aren't familiar with the dish, you might want to know that  the correct pronunciation is  Mar-bay-ah.  Marbella, Spain is on the beach in  the province of Malaga, in the heart of the Costa del Sol,   olive & caper country.

Quarter or cut up  1 chicken into desired parts, leaving skin and bone on.

Make a marinade of 1 TB  finely minced garlic, 1 1/2 TB oregano, a good  splash of red wine vinegar and a same-size splash of olive oil,   salt and pepper, 1/2 c. pitted prunes ( dried plums),  1/3 c. pitted Spanish olives, 1/3 c. capers with a bit of juice, 2 TB minced  fresh parsley, 2 bay leaves.

Place chicken in a shallow  ceramic or plastic dish or  plastic zipper bag, add the marinate and jiggle to  distribute the marinade.  Refrigerate overnight or for 24 hours. Turn the bag  a few times.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking pan, just large enough to fit all the pieces, spooning the marinade  over. An ovenproof skillet works, too.    Top each piece with part  of  1/3 c. brown sugar, and pour  about 1/3 c white wine into the pan around the chicken. I prefer white port, but use what you have.    Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 40-60 minutes, depending on  the size of the chicken pieces.  Check  done-ness for clear juices to run when pierced.

Serve with the marinade and the delicious pan drippings spooned over.  Garnish with chopped flat-leaf parsley, or  a bit of chopped chives or  green onion tops for color. 

            

Blackberry Iron Skillet Cobbler

Blackberry  pavlova, blackberry cheesecake, blackberry muffins......  blackberries  enhance almost everything.   Try them  in this very simple  and really delicious cobbler.   I adapted this recipe from a grill  cookbook.   If  you opt to  use a grill,  preheat it well and  push the pan to a side of the grill that has no coals directly underneath, and bake with  the grill lid closed, for about an hour. It's probably unnecessary to point out that while you could substitute any baking dish in an oven,  a cast-iron skillet is essential for a  grill.   And it probably needs a bit more attention as it's baking. 

Preheat grill or oven to 375.

Melt 2 sticks of butter  in a medium/large   saucepan and  then take  the pan  off the heat.  Stir in 2 cups whole milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 2c. self-rising flour and  2 c. sugar.  Stir til  all ingredients are wet  but don't over-mix or blend well.

Use 2 TB  butter to grease a 10" cast iron skillet  and dump  5 cups  fresh or still-frozen fruit in the pan.   Pour the batter mixture over the top.  Bake until the top is golden brown, for  about one hour, uncovered.

 Most people like it best  warm.    As soon as  it comes out of the oven, sprinkle the top with a couple tablespoons of   granulated sugar for  a  sweet little crust crunch.   It's great with vanilla ice cream.

 A 10" pan will serve 8 -10  or this recipe,  halved,  will exactly fill a 5"  or 6" cast iron skillet. It's really berry good.  Sorry, couldn't resist!

Blackberry Dijon Rack of Lamb

This lovely, simple  lamb dish is adapted from a Cooking Club recipe and is impressive as well as savory.  Be sure not to skip the  tarragon.  Two racks should serve  two or three  chops each   to serve six people. Minted  peas  are a delicious accompaniment,  as are the  Muenster-creamed   brussels sprouts  that I  posted   on 12/29/2007  disingenuously titled  'baby cabbages'. I'm sure  some people would rather I  'disguised'  the  lamb, too, but really folks, it does not taste  "lamb-y", whatever that means.  

Feel free to  vary the flavor by substituting  any other good thick jam or preserve...not 'diet' or sugar-free, and not jelly.  I love making a fig version of this recipe, as well as ginger (marmalade)  and red currant.

2 (1- to 1 1/4-lb.) racks of lamb, frenched*
1/2 teaspoon kosher (or other coarse) salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup blackberry preserves
1/4 cup stone-ground Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon or 3/4 tsp dried
2  teaspoons  butter, melted

1.Heat oven to 425°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Trim any excess fat  from rack of lamb. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper; place on baking sheet.

2.In a small bowl, whisk together preserves, mustard and lemon juice. In another small bowl, stir together bread crumbs and tarragon. Spoon mustard mixture over top of lamb; press bread crumb mixture into mustard mixture. Drizzle butter over bread crumbs.

3.Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned and internal temperature reaches 135°F. for medium-rare  or until of desired doneness.   Let stand 3 to 5 minutes. Cut between bones into chops.

  *Ask your butcher to french the bones for you if  the rack hasn't  already been frenched.