Random recipe: Warm Chocolate Souffle Cakes

Posted by random olio

Sometimes you just need something sweet. It has been a rough week. There have been days this week where by the end of the day I could no longer formulate a complete sentence. In a meeting yesterday I kept starting a thought and was not able to finish it. It was after 5 pm, and someone in the meeting mentioned that it was due to Daylight Savings Time. (I sure hope so.) In any case, sometimes when you just hit your limit you need a bit of warm chocolate to make things better. Like Mary Poppins said: “Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down.” Last night I needed just a spoon full of warm chocolate to make it through the rest of my day.

Warm Chocolate Souffle Cakes (Found in a recent issue of Portland Monthly Magazine)

(Makes a dozen 6 oz cakes)

15 oz bittersweet chocolate (at least 64 percent cacao)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
6 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup and 1/2 cup sugar, separated
1 pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter 12 individual baking dishes (6-8 oz) or spray with nonstick vegetable spray. Set a large metal bowl over a saucepan filled with an inch or two of simmering water to create a double boiler. Melt chocolate and butter in bowl over low heat. Set aside and cool to room temperature.

2. Place egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. With the mixer on medium speed, add 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of salt, and mix until yolks are slightly thicker and lighter in color, 2-3 minutes. Then using a spatula, fold the beaten yolks into the chocolate and set aside.

3. Wash and dry mixer bowl. Add egg whites and whisk on low speed, gradually adding half of the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Increase speed to medium, and whisk until whites form soft peaks, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the rest of the sugar, increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, 30 seconds to a minute longer. In three additions, fold the whites into the chocolate-yolk mixture until just combined.

4. Fill baking dishes three-quarters full. Bake until just set and a bit jiggly in the center, 12-14 minutes. Serve immediately. (It’s delicious with vanilla ice cream drizzled with honey.)

Not too hard. We actually cut the recipe in half because we did not think we could eat the dozen mini cakes fast enough, so we only made six. They are so worth the time (and really not a complex recipe at all). I love the congealing that happens with warm chocolate cake-like items with cold vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

Random recipe: Cheesy Spaghetti Squash

Posted by random olio

One of our favorite restaurants in Portland, Ox, has the most amazing Spaghetti Squash. I had never had spaghetti squash until a few years ago at my first visit to Ox. Their version is: Coal-Roasted Spaghetti Squash, Toasted Garlic, Lemon, Aged Goat Cheese. You had me at goat cheese. I am a fan of almost anything with goat cheese. Last week, Chris, tried a new recipe we found for spaghetti squash. It was good, very good. Do not be deterred by how much description is below. It is actually much easier than it looks.

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Cheesy Spaghetti Squash
Creamy spaghetti squash with cheese and herbs, topped with crunchy panko. Serves 4.
Found: Megan (I Eat Therefore I Cook)

Ingredients

1 Large Spaghetti Squash
1/2 TBSP Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese,
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 TSP Fresh Thyme, Chopped
1 TSP Fresh Oregano, Chopped
1/2 TSP Pepper
1 TSP Garlic Powder
1 TSP Onion Powder
1 TSP Paprika
1/4 cup Panko

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pierce squash with knife a couple of times. Place on baking sheet and place in oven for about 1 hour, or until the squash is easily pierced with a knife.
Turn up oven to 400 degrees.
Let cool and slice in half. Remove seeds from squash with spoon. Scoop out squash insides into a large bowl. Add olive oil, mozzarella cheese, thyme, oregano, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Mix together until evenly distributed.
In a 8 by 8 glass baking dish, place squash mixture in pan. Spread evenly. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top evenly. Sprinkle panko on top evenly. Place in oven and cook until panko becomes golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Note: We skipped step 1, and cut the squash in half, placed face side up with wax paper on top, and put in the microwave for 20 minutes, then went right to step 3.

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Let me know if you try to make it, and if you do what you think!

Random recipe: Five-Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted by random olio

On Sunday we caught up on a long list of items to do around the house. I went for a run, then we snuggled on the couch to fast forward through the Oscars. We paused our DVR to do laundry, and while I usually am the baker in this house, Chris decided to make these easy peasy cookies I found in a Martha Stewart magazine. They only have five ingredients:

Five Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies (from MarthaStewart.com)

Active Time: 10 min.
Total Time: 25 min.
Makes: 30

1 cup almond butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, stir together almond butter, chocolate chips, sugar, eggs, and salt until a dough forms.
2. Place 1-tablespoon mounds of dough 1-inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake cookies until puffed and tops are set, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Easy peasy right? They were actually quite good. On the gooey side, but I love that they have no flour, contain almond butter, and the only thing that is really bad for you is the 1/2 cup of brown sugar. What is not to love? Plus they only make 30 (2.5 dozen) so that means you do not have to eat through a few dozen cookies.

Easy peasy.

Random recipe: Asparagus Fries

Posted by random olio

I am addicted to french fries. Chris told me recently that he loves me more than french fries. I guess that means he really loves me, because I definitely love me some amazing french fries. So when I found this recipe for Asparagus Fries I thought we should try them. They will never compare to real french fries, but at least they give you the nutrients of asparagus, and maybe later stinky pee.

Asparagus Fries (from PBS)

Ingredients

1 pound asparagus, trimmed
1/2 cup flour
2 egg whites
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 cup panko (Japanese) breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a bowl large enough to fit the asparagus, beat the egg whites and mayonnaise together.
In a separate container large enough to fit the asparagus (a plate will do), add the flour.
In a separate container large enough to the fit the asparagus, combine the panko, Parmesan, garlic salt, and black pepper.
Then coat the asparagus in the egg.
Dredge a few pieces of asparagus in the flour.
Lastly, coat the asparagus in the panko mixture making sure to press it on.
Repeat these steps until all the asparagus have been coated.
Bake the asparagus in a single layer for 10-13 minutes until golden and crispy.
Serve warm.

They were good. Not outstandingly amazing, but good. Would we make them again? Probably not. They were on the drier side. Chris made them with chicken breasts, where he also sprinkled panko crumbs and parmesan on top. Good but not anything to write home about – and also it really depends on how much you like asparagus.

Random recipe: Coconut Chicken Curry (Slow Cooker)

Posted by random olio

Some recipes work, others do not. Some become our favorites, and we make them over and over again. This recipe was in between. It was not my favorite, but since we all have different tastes I wanted to share. It was good, but a bit too strong in flavor for me. One day last week Chris was working from home and when I got home from work and opened the front door, there was the strongest of smells and flavors that shot right back to me. Mmm. It was soo good. The problem? The house smelled like that for days. This recipe was strong and pungent. What would I do differently if we made it again? I wanted more vegetables. The interesting part is that the recipe is full of vegetables all made into the recipe. I wanted to eat them with the sauce, chicken, and rice. Maybe I would add some broccoli or asparagus?

Slow Cooker: Coconut Chicken Curry

2 pounds, 3-⅓ ounces, weight Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, Cut Into Large Cubes
1 whole Onion, Peeled And Halved
2 cloves Garlic, Peeled
1 whole Small Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Quartered
1 can (156ml Can) Tomato Paste
1 can (about 400ml Can) Coconut Milk
1-½ teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
1 Tablespoon Garam Masala (Indian Spice Mix)
2 whole Dry Red Chili Peppers (optional For Extra Heat)
2 Tablespoons Water
1-½ Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 bunch Coriander (optional, For Decoration)

Instructions:

1. Place chicken cubes inside the slow cooker.

2. Place the rest of the ingredients (except chili peppers, cornstarch, water and coriander) in a food processor bowl and process together until the mix is smooth(ish). Pour sauce mix on top of the chicken, mix well, add hot peppers if using any, then close the lid. Cook on low for 6 hours.

3. An hour before serving, mix together water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add to the chicken curry and mix well. Place the lid back on for the rest of the cooking time.

4. Serve on top of steaming white rice, like jasmine or basmati rice. Decorate with chopped coriander.

Try it. I am curious what you think. Maybe it was too fragrant and perfumed for me. Let me know what you think.