Simply Delicious Double Chocolate Brownies

Double Chocolate Brownies are the answer to many of life's questions. Or at least the questions I hear: "When are you going to make some goodies to send to me?" (from my bachelor friend who moved away) "Do we have anything good to eat that isn't healthy?" (from my daughter) and "I need chocolate" (technically not a question, but something my body screams at me from time to time).

The fantastic thing about these brownies, aside from their taste, is that you probably have everything you need to make them in your pantry right now. My question to you: What are you waiting for?

Simply Delicious Double Chocolate Brownies
Makes 24 brownies

1 cup butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (1 teaspoon if you're using unsalted butter)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the sugar and return to the heat briefly, just until it's hot and the sugar has begun to dissolve into the butter. Transfer the butter and sugar mixture to a mixing bowl.

Stir the cocoa powder, salt and baking powder together. Add them to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until combined. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat the mixture until it's smooth. Add the flour and the chocolate chips, mixing again until well combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with just a couple of crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Mediterranean Salad

Half of my lunch is ready, so while I wait for my chicken breasts to cook, I thought I'd share this delicious, healthy salad with you.

I found the recipe in Cooking Light and made it for my Thursday client. It was so good, I knew I'd be making it again this weekend for myself. I'm a big fan of fresh fennel, especially when it's sliced paper thin like in this salad.

I tweaked the dressing a bit, and today I left off the feta cheese; I simply forgot to buy it, and I really don't miss it. But if you like feta, and can remember to buy it, please do add it to the salad.

Time for lunch.

Mediterranean Salad
Makes 8 servings

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cloves garlic -- pressed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 fennel bulb -- sliced thin, about 2 cups, use mandolin
1/2 red onion -- sliced thin, about 1 1/2 cups, use mandolin
1 cup pitted kalamata olives -- halved
3/4 cup fresh parsley -- chopped
1/4 cup feta cheese -- crumbled
1 15 ounce can cannelini beans -- drained, rinsed
12 cherry tomato -- halved

Make vinaigrette by combining red wine vinegar through olive oil.

Layer the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.

Before serving (an hour before if possible), toss ingredients with dressing.

The Dinner Buffet

When my kids were little, one night I said we were having "Odds and Ends" for dinner. That meant I didn't have a plan, my husband was working late, and we were going to have whatever I had on hand. So I emptied the fridge, put everything on the counter, and let them pick and choose what they'd like. Wouldn't you know, "Odds and Ends" became a requested meal.

I think it was fun for them to decide what to put on their plates. I liked it because I had a bit of control (I offered healthy foods like fresh fruit, raw vegetables, cheese sticks, bread, whatever cooked protein I had around, and leftover pasta or rice), it was easy to prepare, and it helped use up the odds and ends.

My kids are older now and not as easily amused, so tonight I said we were having a Dinner Buffet. My main motivation was that I wanted to use up several slices of meatloaf and half a cooked flank steak from the freezer; there wasn't enough of either one for a family meal, but on the buffet, we had plenty for everyone.

It worked like a charm, and before you could say "odds and ends," the four of us were filling our plates with meat, freshly baked potatoes, green beans and other fruits and vegetables from the buffet.

Sometimes making (and eating) a healthy meal is easier than you'd think.

Pantry Challenge and Banana Bread

I'm starting to see some space in the freezer after using most of the pork, beef, ground turkey and chicken I had lurking in there. Four boys sleeping over last night also helped: we no longer have cupcakes, most of the freshly baked cookies, dinner rolls, pasta sauce, frozen waffles or breakfast sausage bogging us down.

Tonight we're off to the neighborhood Progressive Dinner Party, so I won't be cooking at home (though I had leftover pasta and broccoli from last night's dinner for lunch today). But I've got next week's menu all figured out, using more pantry and freezer items supplemented by the fresh vegetables I bought yesterday. And here's the really cool thing: After deducting the cost of the ingredients I bought to make my dishes for the progressive dinner, I realized the weekly groceries for my family of 4 cost about $50.

In the spirit of frugality, I decided to bake some banana bread with the four overripe bananas in the fruit bowl. The recipe I used comes from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook, in which she hides various fruit and vegetable purees into foods that you'd like your kids to eat. Some of the recipes are good, others are questionable (I didn't enjoy the spinach in her Blueberry Oatmeal Bars). But I like her banana bread recipe; it's not as dense as some others I've tried, and it's easy to make.

Banana Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Adapted from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
5 bananas, pureed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix the flours with the baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar and oil with a wooden spoon until well combined. Mix in the egg, egg white, banana puree and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool at least 5 - 10 minutes before turning bread out onto a rack to cool completely. When cool, store in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Become a Fan!

Thank you to my friend and fellow blogger Amy Casey of Dinners for a Year and Beyond for cluing me in to the "Followers" feature, which I've just added to my blog (look over to the right, under the Blog Archive list). I'd love to have you join my little fan club!

Update on the Pantry Challenge:

Last night was Taco Night, which pleased everyone and took care of a package of ground turkey from the freezer, a package of taco shells (I buy them in bulk at BJs) and a can of refried beans.

I've also been baking, so we now have fresh snickerdoodles, frozen snickerdoodles and a loaf of banana bread. Stop by; I'd be happy to share!

Pantry Challenge, Day 3: Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin + Sides

I'm enjoying this challenge immensely and have been gratified and humbled by the realization that I have so much perfectly good food right here in my house. When I look around after three days, I don't see noticeably less food, even though I eat three meals a day (and lots of snacks) here. In fact, with a trip to the supermarket for more fresh produce and some milk over the weekend, I might continue the challenge for another week.

The rest of the family remains unimpressed with the experiment. In fact, certain family members have been ordering take-out at an unprecedented rate, which may explain why it's taking me so long to make a dent in the larder. But it's only Day 3. The plan for tonight was bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin (already cooked and in the freezer) jazzed up with a fruity side dish, as well as another vegetable and a potato.

I had a couple of Gala apples and half a sweet onion in the refrigerator, so I sliced them and drizzled with vegetable oil, salt and pepper, and convection roasted them for about 15 minutes. When the apples were just getting tender and the onion slices were starting to char, I took the pan out of the oven and tossed the mixture with a capful of apple cider vinegar and two spoonfuls of Caramel Apple Butter. A few leaves of thyme and the fruity side dish was done. (I don't usually have Caramel Apple Butter, but it was in a gift basket I received over the holidays, so why not put it to use?)

My vegetable was lightly boiled carrots, one of the few vegetables I had left in the drawer, tossed with butter, salt and pepper. I also prepared the remainder of a box of instant Garlic Mashed potatoes I had in the pantry. Judging from the empty plates, I think dinner was better than the latest round of takeout.

Sloppy Turkey Joes in Hash Brown Cups

I interrupt the Pantry Challenge to bring you a cute AND delicious dish I made for today's special diet client.

If you read my blog a lot (I can't imagine there are many of you), you may remember that my every-other-Tuesday client is not only gluten-free and dairy-free, she doesn't eat red meat, vinegar (except rice vinegar), nuts, seeds, legumes, refined sugar or raw vegetables. No problemo.

Today's idea was completely inspired by and ripped off from fellow Personal Chef Patti Anastasia. I took Patti's idea and ran with it, substituting ground turkey for the beef, rice vinegar for the apple cider vinegar, and making a few other tweaks as I went along. The result was so tasty I have to share with you.

Update (Jan. 25, 2009): Just got an email from the client saying how much she loved these. You must try them NOW!

Sloppy Turkey Joes in Hash Brown Cups
Makes 8 filled hash brown cups, enough for 4 - 6 servings

Find Patti's recipe here.

Hash Brown Crust:
2 bags frozen hash browns -- thawed (we like Alexia brand)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
8 4-1/2 inch aluminum tart pans

Sloppy Joes:
1 3/4 pounds 93% lean ground turkey (not turkey breast please!!)
1 onion -- chopped
3 cloves garlic -- minced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 can tomato paste
1/4 can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
2 tablespoon agave nectar (if you can have sugar, use an equal amount of light brown sugar instead)
2 tablespoons apple juice, optional
3/4 cup shredded soy cheese (use sharp cheddar if you eat dairy)

To prepare crusts: Preheat oven to 450. If potatoes aren't completely thawed, put them on a cookie sheet or in an aluminum pan and pop them in the oven for a couple of minutes while it's preheating to finish the thawing process.

Toss the hash browns with the cornstarch, spices, and butter or oil. Spray nonstick spray in tart pans and place them on a cookie sheet. Press a heaping 1/2 cup of hash browns into the bottom and sides of pie pans. You want to make a 1/4-inch thick crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden. Watch carefully! The baking time is dependent on how much moisture is in your potatoes. Keep your eye on them, they may take less or more time.

While the crusts are baking, prepare the Sloppy Joe mixture: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Saute turkey in a bit of olive oil until it begins to brown. Add onion, and when it's almost cooked, garlic. Add vinegar, tomato paste, tomato sauce, seasoning and sweetener of choice. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened; stirring frequently. Taste, adjust seasoning. To make them more tangy, add more vinegar. To make them sweeter, add brown sugar or some apple juice. Spoon meat mixture into crusts. If desired, top each pie with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Bake 10 minutes and serve.