Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares

Someone passed this on to me, so I don't know where it's originally from. They are excellent!

Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Squares

Makes 24; Prep time: 30 minutes; Total time: 2 1/2 hours
In addition to keeping the cake from sticking to the pan, lining the pan with foil makes it easy to lift it out after baking.


2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin purée
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin purée (mixture may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. (I actually ended up cooking them for about a60-70 minutes) Cool completely in pan.

4. Lift cake from pan (using foil as an aid). Peel off foil, and use a serrated knife to cut into 24 squares.



Note: If you can’t find pumpkin-pie spice, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon each allspice and cloves (all ground).

Too Hot to Cook!

I didn't forget about this. I just haven't cooked much in the last month or so. Too damn hot!

Cole Slaw

1 head green cabbage
salt

Dressing:
1/4 cup mayo
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
pepper

Core and shred the cabbage, and spread out on a clean surface. Salt generously. Let sit for 2-3 hours or longer. This will remove a lot of the "juice" and water from the caabbage, as well as flavor it. After 2-3 hours, gather cabbage by the handful and squeeze fistfuls of it over the sink, as if you're wringing it out. A LOT of water will come out of it. Rinse the cabbage in cold water for several minutes, then squeeze it again.

While the cabbage drains, mix the dressing, adjusting it to your taste. Do not salt it again.

Add the dressing and chill several hours before serving. Better if chilled overnight.

Avocado Corn Tomato Salad

2 medium or 3 small avocados, diced
1 can whole corn, drained
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Optional: Cilantro

Mix all ingredients and serve chilled

Pork Chops with Gravy

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless pork chops
olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup buttermilk* (see below for substitute)

Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess.

Heat a large saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make a creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

*Buttermilk -- if you don't have any buttermilk, add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to regular milk, and let it sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Based on a recipe by Tyler Florence

Baby Back Ribs (Crock pot)

2 slabs of baby back ribs

Rub:
8 tablespoons light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon rubbed thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika


BBQ sauce

Mix the dry ingredients and rub over ribs, which have been cut short enough to fit in your crock pot. Stand the ribs in the crock, meaty side out. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Pour your favorite BBQ sauce over the ribs, and cook on high for another 30 minutes.

Braised Leeks

Leeks look like scallions or green onions with a steriod problem, and although related, are much milder. Select leeks with a clean white slender bulb, at least two to three inches of white, and firm, tightly-rolled dark green tops. The base should be at least 1-/2 inch in diameter, although most are much larger, usually 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches. The younger the leek, the more delicate the flavor and texture is. Look for the slim, cylindrical ones rather than those that are large and bulbous. If the bottoms are beginning to round into bulb shapes, the leeks are a bit too mature, and can have a tough, woody center. If the leek is limp at all, pass it up.

4 leeks
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
pinch thyme

Cut the green and root ends of the leeks off, leaving just the white. You should be left with a piece 4 to 5 inches long. Slice this in half long ways, and then into quarters. Rinse very well, making sure to get water in between -- a lot of dirt gets in there as they're growing.

In a pan, melt butter with the oil over medium heat, then add the clean leeks along with salt and pepper. Cook about 20 minutes until the leeks are soft and begin to slightly brown. Add the chicken stock, and thyme, and raise the heat to high. Cook until stock is reduced and leeks just about begin to caramelize.

Creamy Chicken and Black Beans -- Crockpot recipe

1 lb chicken frozen chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
1 15.5 ounce can black beans, drained
1 10 ounce bag of frozen corn
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes (Muir Glen organic makes these, otherwise you can just chop some fresh tomatoes, or half of a can of whole tomatoes)
half of a medium onion, chopped small
1 jalapeno pepper, or a few rings of jarred jalapeno, diced (use more or less to taste)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 8 ounce package cream cheese

Combine everything except the cream cheese in the crockpot and cook on high 4-5 hours. When it's just about done, shred the chicken in the pot using 2 forks, then add the package cream cheese. Cook for 30 more minutes on low. Stir well to mix the cream cheese in. Serve over rice.

Lemon Garlic Monkfish

2 lemons
2 cloves garlic
2 lbs. monkfish (aka "poor man's lobster")
2 tablespoons oilive oil
Cayenne pepper
salt & pepper

Peel the grayish membrane from the monkfish and place in baking dish. Squeeze the juice from one lemon and set aside. Slice the other lemon into thin slices. Cut garlic into thin slivers. Make small slices in the fish, and stuff with the garlic slices. Sprinkle with half of the lemon juice, cayenne, salt and pepper, drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil, then cover with the lemon slices. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, pour off all the accumulated liquid in the pan. Lower oven to 350, pour the remaining lemon juice and olive oil over fish, continue baking for 20-30 minutes, until it is done.

Glazed Ham Steak

1 Ham Steak (about 1 lb.)
2 tbsp. prepared spicy mustard
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. Rose's lime juice
1 tsp. ground cloves

Heat oven to 450, and mix mustard, brown sugar, lime juice and cloves to form a paste, and spread over the top of the ham steak. The ham will give off a lot of juice during cooking, so be sure to cook in a pan that's at least an inch deep. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until heated through.

Sauteed Spinach

2 Tablespoons Olive oil
Baby spinach leaves, cleaned and rinsed
salt and pepper
1 clove of garlic and/or 1 shallot, chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes
Splash of chicken stock (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a pan, throw in the spinach, salt and pepper, the chopped garlic and/or shallots, red pepper flakes. Keep it moving until it's all cooked down. The chicken stock is optional, but can be added for a bit of taste and it gives it a little "creaminess."

Crock Pot Pot Roast

1 boneless check roast (or any cut labeld for pot roast) 3-4 lbs
1 lb. carrots, cut in chunks
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1.5 cups beef stock
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
nutmeg

(I use a crock pot liner in my pot. It's a heavy duty plastic bag that doesnt' melt while cooking. You can see it in the image.)

Cut the carrots and onion and place half in the bottom of crock pot. smash 2 garlic cloves and throw in the pot. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Lightly salt and pepper everything. Put the roast on top, and put all the rest of the carrots, onions, and smashed garlic in, some of them on top of the roast. Add the beef stock, the other tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Cook on low 8 hours.

Pork Chops with Lemon Rosemary Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 pork chops, 1.5 inches thick
1 shallot, chopped
1.5 cups chicken stock
1 sprig fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons well-chilled unsalted butter, cut in 3 pieces
Salt and pepper

Salt and pepper the pork chops. Heat a sautee pan on high and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, place pork chops in pan, sautee for 5 minutes then lower heat to medium and turn. Cook pork chops until internal temp reaches 145. Remove from pan and tent with aluminum foil.

Turn heat back to high, and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is hot, add shallot. Stir and cook until translucent. Pour chicken stock in and add rosemary. If using a fresh sprig, do not remove the leaves from the stem. Put the whole sprig in the pan. Cook on high until stock is reduced to about 2/3 cup. Add lemon juice. Whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over sliced chops.

Fresh Salsa

Tomatoes, chopped well (good fresh if you can get them, or canned whole will do)
Garlic, minced fine
1/2 red onion, chopped fine (I don't always use onion)
handful of cilantro chopped -- about 3 tbsp
Chopped pickled (jarred) jalapenos
1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Sometimes I also add a chopped dried ancho chile for a smokey sweet layer

Open "Stuffed" Snapper

You can use any light, white, flakey fish that you like for this -- snapper, tilapia, cod, etc.

4 snapper filets
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
4 Tbs butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Crush the crackers to small crumbs. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, except the filets. Salt and pepper the filets, and spread crumb mixture on them and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350, or until done. Put under broiler for a minute or two to toast the crumb topping.

Garlic Horseradish Crusted Beef Tenderloin

1 beef tenderloin, 2-3 lbs.
3 Tbs prepared horseradish
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 Tbs kosher salt
1 Tbs fresh ground black pepper
3 Tbs olive oil

Let beef tenderloin come to room temperature, about 30-45 minutes before cooking.

Mix remaining ingredients, and spread over the tenderloin. Roast on a rack to desired done-ness.

Tomato Sauce Baked Tilapia

1 lb. Tilapia filets
1-2 cups tomato sauce (your favorite jarred sauce is fine -- I used Emeril's "Kicked Up Tomato")

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray bottom of a small pan with Pam or non-stick spray (an 8"x8" or so sized pan -- you want the filets to almost cover the bottom of the pan with no space around them)

Pour sauce over the filets -- as much as you like.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until tilapia is flakey and done.

Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss

Makes 4 servings
1 pound penne pasta, cooked to package directions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1.25 lbs chicken tenders (or cutlets, or breasts pounded thin), cutinto 1 inch pieces
Salt andPepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium shallots, chopped (you can use dried*, minced onion,reconstituted, use about 4 teaspoons, dry, soak in water toreconstitute)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine (if you don't have/want to use wine, increasechicken broth by 1/2 cup and use that 1/2 cup in place of wine in theinstructions)
Juice of 1 lemon, or about 2-3 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice
1 cup chicken broth or stock
3 tablespoons capers, drained (I didn't use these)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (or 1-2 tablespoons dried)

Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high head. Add 1 tablespoonof olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season with salt and pepper,and brown until lightly golden all over, about 5-6 minutes. Removechicken from pan and set aside. Return the skillet to the heat,reduce heat to medium. To the skillet, add another tablespoon ofolice oil, 1 tablespoon butter, garlic, and shallots, and sautee 3minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine and reduceliquid, 1 minute or until it starts to thicken. (I added about 2 moretablespoons flour at this point so that it was VERY thick, almost like paste consistiency.) Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir incapers and parsley. When sauce comes to a bubble, add the remainingtablespoon butter. Put chicken back in the pan and het through for aminute or 2. Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce. Adjust salt andpepper to taste.

Low fat
Takes 30-45 minutes to make.
Easy

* I always have these shallots on-hand. They have great flavor, and reconstitute really well. I buy just about all my spices from Penzey's.

Decoded Chicken -- For Monica

Rice takes 30 minutes... 5 to boil the water, 20 for the rice to cook, and 5 to rest. It can sit longer too, and as long as you have the lid on the pot it'll stay warm.

Confession: I microwave most veggies, because we eat a lot of frozen (organic) veggies. If not, I steam them. That takes 10 minutes, fresh or frozen.

If you're grilling chicken (pan or real grill, boneless breasts) start everything except the veggies cooking at the same time. Keep a timer on for the rice, set it for 20 minutes once it boils. When it boils, start grilling the chicken. When you've got 8-10 minutes left on the 20 minute timer, start the veggies steaming. Everything should be done just about at the same time.

The same timing goes for pretty much any boneless chicken breasts, no matter how you cook it. When I'm baking, just to be sure I tend to overcook it, leaving it in for about 30-35 minutes. I've had too many pink ones come out of the oven. Vomitous.

Chicken is extra excellent with corn.

Shrimp in Stout Sauce

It sounds like a strange combo, but it's really tasty. Serve with crusty bread, or over rice.

Ingredients
2 lbs. prawns or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
Grill seasoning such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning -- about 1-2 tablespoon. (can substitute salt, coarsely ground pepper, garlic powder, onion flakes, and/or anything else you'd use on steak, just use a lot of pepper)
2 tablespoon. olive oil
1-3 tablespoon. Sriracha hot sauce, or whatever hot sauce you prefer. Season to taste.
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 bottle of dark stout beer, like Guinness
1 bay leaf
Juice of 1 lemon
2 to 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional -- if opting out, use and additional 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter)
Salt and pepper

Procedure
1. Coat the prawns with the grill seasoning. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, place about half the prawns in a single layer, and quickly sear them, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate and reserve. Repeat with the remaining prawns.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet, and the garlic. Cook for one minute. Add the beer, hot sauce, and bay leaf. Boil over high heat to reduce the liquid by half.

3. Return the prawns to the skillet with the sauce and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and remove the bay leaf. Stir in the butter and cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4. Sort of.


Based on a Rachel Ray recipe from the February/March 2006 Everyday Food.