Plum Jam

Beautiful dark red plum jam, ready to be stored

away until the fall, when opening them brings

back the joy of summer fruit.

3 1/2 lbs. of fruit, washed and cut up into

small pieces, filling my measuring cup to 

the brim, ready to be made into jam.

From all that fruit, barely a 1/2 cup of seeds. 

One of the reasons I love Japanese plums, is that

their seeds pop right out of the fruit with out any waste

clinging to the seed. The seeds are small and you really 

get a lot of meaty fruit with each plum.

Before it comes to a rolling boil, the fruit looks

like such a vibrant dark red, and the smell fills the kitchen

with a delicious aroma!

After all these years, I just continue to use the same method

of jam making that my mom did.  The directions from 

the Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin are traditional jelly and jam 

making methods and work every time 

to produce a wonderful product.

As Always,

ENJOY!

Parmesan Spinach Risotto with Scallops

Sometimes, inspiration comes from just opening the cupboards!

Even the best chefs sometimes get stumped on what 

to make their own families for dinner.

Opening the cupboard doors, and looking at what is available,

or looking at what needs to be prepared that has not been

prepared in awhile, helps get my mental wheels turning.

A large jar of  Arborio rice stares at me.

OK!  Now what to pair with it?

Opening the freezer and refrigerator to see what 

fresh ingredients are on hand, gives me plenty of good ideas.

So, ultimately, this is the creative outcome!

It was really delicious as a creamy risotto normally is,

having the spinach incorporated with the risotto 

gives it a nice visual pop.

Topping it with seared scallops, finishes it off,

oh, so beautifully!!

As Always,

ENJOY!

RISOTTO

9oz. frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion

2 garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving

salt and pepper to taste

fresh lemon juice to taste

SCALLOPS

12 scallops

salt and pepper

1 Tbs. butter

    Squeeze out excess moisture from spinach and set aside.  Heat chicken broth and wine over low heat in a medium sauce pan, keeping just under a simmer.  

   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium low heat.  Cook the onion for 3-4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for one minute.  Add the rice and continually stir until opaque, about 

2 minutes. 

   Stir in the hot broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously until absorbed.  Continue adding the broth over 18-20 minutes until rice is fully cooked, creamy and al dente.

   Lower the heat and stir in spinach, Parmigiano,  salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

   Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter over medium high heat in a large skillet.  When it bubbles, add the scallops and cook for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes per side, forming a golden crust on each side.

   Divide the risotto between 4 plates, and serve with 3 scallops on top. Garnish with an extra squeeze of lemon juice and shaved parmigiano cheese.

Tribute-To-Katherine-Hepburn Brownies

Intense flavors of dark chocolate, cinnamon and coffee,
make these brownies a unique treat.
One small bite will satisfy your sweet tooth!

As Always,

ENJOY!

Recipe Source:  Baking From My House To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons finely ground instant coffee
• 2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup broken or chopped walnuts or pecans
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper. Butter the paper, dust the inside of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Place the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, cinnamon, if you’re using it, and salt together.

Put the butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and place the pan over low heat. When the butter starts to melt, sift the cocoa over it and add the instant coffee. Continue to cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the cocoa and coffee are blended into it. Remove from the heat and cool for about 3 minutes.

Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, beat the eggs into the saucepan one at a time. Next, stir in the sugar and vanilla (don’t beat anything too vigorously — you don’t want to add air to the batter), followed by the dry ingredients, nuts and chopped chocolate. Scrape the batter into the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, at which point the brownies will still be gooey but the top will have a dry papery crust. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the brownies cool for at least 30 minutes. (You can wait longer, if you’d like.) Turn the brownies out onto a rack, peel away the paper and invert onto a cutting board. Cool completely before cutting into 16 squares.

Rick Katz's Brownies for Julia

Like Julia Child said "What is better than butter.......more butter!"

These brownies are rich and gooey and fudgy!
A chocolate lovers treat!

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Recipe Source: Baking From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs

PREPARATION

1. Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put a 9-inch square baking pan (Pyrex is good for this) on a baking sheet.
2. Whisk the flour and salt together.
3. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, put the butter in the bowl and top with the chopped chocolate. Stir frequently until the ingredients are just melted.  Add 1 cup of the sugar and whisk gently just to incorporate it, then remove the bowl from the pan of water. Stir in the vanilla and transfer the warm chocolate to a large bowl.
4. Put the remaining 1 cup sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer or a medium bowl and, using a whisk, stir in the eggs. Switch to a rubber spatula and, little by little, add one half of the sugar-egg mixture to the warm chocolate, stirring very gently but without stopping — you don’t want the heat of the chocolate to cook the eggs.
5. With the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the remaining sugar and eggs on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until they double in volume. Using the spatula and a light touch, fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture, stopping just short of blending them in completely. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the batter and delicately fold them in, working only until they disappear. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula.
6. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the top looks dry. Poke a thin knife into the center the brownies should be only just set and still pretty gooey. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool to room temperature.
7. The brownies are fragile and best cut in the pan. Cut eighteen 1 1/2-x-3-inch bars.

Classic Brownies

Delicious with nuts or chocolate chips!

Great balance of chocolate flavor between the unsweetened
and bittersweet chocolate, plus, these brownies
are not too gooey and not too cakey, which makes
them the classic brownie.

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Recipe Source: Baking-From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan

5 Tbsp

unsalted butter

4 oz

bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 oz

unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3/4 C

sugar

2

large eggs

1 tsp

pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp

instant espresso powder, optional

1/4 tsp

salt

1/3 C

all-purpose flour

1 C

walnuts, chopped, optional

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil; butter the foil and set aside. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Put the 5 tablespoons of butter in the bowl, add the chocolate pieces, and stir occasionally until the ingredients are just melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water; stir well to combine and ensure that all the chocolate is melted.

With a spatula, stir the sugar into the chocolate mixture and combine. One by one, add the eggs and stir well to combine. Add the vanilla and give the ingredients a vigorous mix before gently stirring in the espresso, if you’re using it, then the salt and flour. Stir only until incorporated. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake for 30—33 minutes, or until the top is matte and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and cool the brownies to room temperature.

When the brownies are completely cool, remove them from the pan using the foil. Peel away the foil and invert brownies onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.

Cocoa Nib Brownies

Really different brownie, with its crunchy bits

Sprinkle nibs on top of brownie batter

After baking the top has a pretty contrast between 

the crust and the nibs.


An excellent recipe.  Also, I like the fact that it is baked in
a 9x13 pan.  So many brownie recipes are only in
8x8 or 9x9 pans.  This is plenty to feed a crowd.

I did find the cocoa nibs at Trader Joe's, I hope it was
not just a seasonal item as they so often do.  It was during
there coffee and chocolate feature month.
I will have to check again to see if they are still available.

As Always

ENJOY!

Recipe Source: The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri

8 ounces unsalted butter

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbs. vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa nibs

9x13 pan, lined with buttered foil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in medium size pan, let bubble for 10 seconds.  Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. Set aside for a few minutes so the chocolate can melt. Mix until smooth.

In large bowl add brown sugar, beat in 1 egg at a time, beating smooth after each.  Add salt, vanilla and sugar and beat until smooth.

With a spatula, mix in the chocolate, then the flout then 1/4 cup of the  cocoa nibs.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cocoa nibs on top.

Bake about 30 minutes.   Cool, then refrigerate before cutting.

Gluten Free Brownies

A moist dark chocolate interior

Spread batter evenly in parchment lined pan

With Dutch Process Cocoa the brownies remain a rich 

dark chocolate color.


My Sister-in-law has Celiac Disease, so Gluten Free everything
is on the menu when she is in town.
Of course I had to test this amazing recipe for
Gluten Free brownies while she was visiting,
and she assured me they were delicious!

Recipe Source: Texanerin Baking 

As Always,

ENJOY!

• 1 cup Teff flour or 1 cup  buckwheat flour 
• 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, or Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled 
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar,raw sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line an 8"×8" pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter or coconut oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Once combined, add the eggs one at a time, and stir just until combined.
4. Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until almost no streaks of flour remain. Do not over mix. Fold in 3/4 cup  chocolate chips.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan 
6. If using teff flour, bake for 20-22 minutes or until the brownies have formed a thin crust and appear set in the middle. If using buckwheat, you may only need 15-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out wet. A toothpick inserted into the sides will come out with some moist crumbs on it, but not totally raw batter. The brownies will continue to bake as they sit in the pan and will firm up as they cool.
7. Let cool completely and then cover and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.