Chocolate Pecan Loaf

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped

Extra pecans for garnish

 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a loaf pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Fold in the chopped pecans and chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and add the chopped dark chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.

Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and garnish with extra pecans.

Broccoli and Orzo

Broccoli and Orzo

The easiest comfort food you will ever make! If you can boil a pot of water,  you can make this!

Broccoli and Orzo

1 cup Orzo
1 1/2 cups Broccoli florets
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Tablespoon Butter
1/4-1/2 cup Milk
Pinch of Paprika
Dash of Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon prepared Mustard
S&P to taste

Cook orzo as directed on package.
During last 3-4 minutes of cook time for the pasta, throw in your broccoli florets and continue cooking.
Drain pasta and broccoli and return to the pot.
Add cheese, butter, milk to desired consistency, paprika, garlic powder, mustard, salt and pepper; stir well.

Serve immediately.

Serves 3 – 4

Spicy Peanut Butter Noodle Bowls

Spicy Peanut Butter Noodle Bowls

 

Spicy Peanut Butter Noodle Bowls

*16  oz  Linguini pasta
reserve some of the pasta water to help make your Peanut Butter Sauce

3-4 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp grated Ginger (1 teaspoon Ginger Powder, if you must)
2/3 cup Peanut Butter (I won’t judge here: Creamy, Crunchy, Natural, up to you!)
*4 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari
1/3 – 2/3 cup Pasta water to stir into Peanut Butter Sauce, thinning to desired consistency
1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 – 2 Tbsp Sriracha – How hot can you go?
1 – 2 Tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup (honestly, I go with Maple Syrup most of the time because the Honey prefers to crystallize ’round here!
Stir in Veg:
Julienne whatever veg you prefer and have on hand!
Carrots, Peppers, Peas, Red Onion, Cabbage, Radish, or totally shortcut and throw in a bag of prepared Coleslaw!

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, optional
2 teaspoons Chili Sauce, optional

Instructions

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook noodles for about 10 minutes. Start checking them at 8 though, cooking just until al dente.
Drain and set aside.

Finely mince garlic, grate ginger.
In medium size mixing bowl whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, maple syrup and 1/3 cup pasta water.  Add more water if needed and to your desired consistency.

Taste and adjust seasonings, soy sauce and sriracha.
Pour sauce over prepared noodles and stir to thoroughly coat.
Stir in julienned vegetables, coating evenly with the peanut sauce.

Serve with crushed Peanuts, chopped Green Onion, Pea Sprouts, Cilantro

*Make it gluten free: Sub in GF Pasta and GF Soy Sauce

Benny’s Mac&Cheese

Mac&Cheese

Ingredients:
2 cups elbow macaroni or bowties, small shells or fusilli
1 1/2quarts boiling water, with salt (1 tbsp)

1/2 cup chopped Onion
1/3 cup Butter (80 g on kitchen scale)
3 Tablespoons Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Mustard
2 1/4 cups Milk
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese, though go with your heart on this one and go ahead and use what you’ve got; Gruyere is divine! Got some Monterey Jack cheese? Have at ‘er! Havarti? Yup, that works too!

1/2 Dry Breadcrumbs (Store bought breadcrumbs, make your own-use garlic bread, hotdog/hamburger buns, ground up in a food processor)
2 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350C
Spray 8″ or 9″ Casserole dish with vegetable oil spray; set asisde.
Prepare topping:
Melt butter in pot you will use to cook pasta in. Pour melted butter over breadcrumbs you have placed in a small mixing bowl.
Rub together until breadcrumbs are coated with butter; set aside.

In large uncovered saucepan, cook pasta in boiling water, until tender but firm, about 10 minutes.
Drain, set aside.

In same pot, melt  butter and sautee onion over medium/high heat until soft and clear, about 3 – 5 minutes
Sprinkle onion with flour, salt and pepper, paprika. Whisk until combined. Stir in milk, a bit at a time, bringing mixture to a boil before adding a bit more milk. Repeat until all milk is stirred in.
Once all milk is stirred in, continue cooking, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
Remove from heat.
Stir in Cheese(s) and mustard.

Turn out into prepared casserole dish.
Sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs.
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Remove from oven and serve.

Serves 4 – 6

Corn Bread

Corn Bread 

1 cup Flour
1 1/4 cup Cornmeal
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 Butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 cup Milk
1 large Egg

Heat oven to 400F.
Prepare baking pan(s) by spraying lightly with vegetable oil spray.
9″round pan, 8″ square pan, individual loaf pans

Melt Butter and remove from heat the cool slightly.

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl; set aside.

In small mixing bowl combine milk, egg and cooled melted butter.

Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.

Scoop into prepared pan(s) and bake in 400F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The individual loaves will require less baking time, check at 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out and  cooling completely on wire

 

Welcome to my Kitchen where the most important ingredient is Love.