MariMode Aprons-Every Cook Needs A Good Apron

A friend of the family and her daughter have launched a new website and are selling Aprons... Many Designs to choose from for every Chef in the House...



Check out her collection of Retro Apron Designs at

Marimode Retro Glam Aprons

JANE'S PUMPKIN BROWNIES

These are yummie !!

For the brownies:

1 lb. sugar

1/2 lb. butter, melted

1/2 lb. white chocolate, melted

1/2 c. pumpkin puree

6 eggs

4 oz. all-purpose flour

1/2 T. cinnamon

1/4 t. powdered ginger

For the frosting:

6 oz. butter

1/2 lb. confectioner's sugar

Cinnamon or maple syrup to taste (optional)

Make the brownies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter and flour a 9-by-13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, melted butter and melted chocolate with an electric beater or wooden spoon.

Add the pumpkin puree and the eggs, one at a time.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon and ginger and add to the bowl.

Mix until all the ingredients are just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish.

Bake about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool before cutting.

Make the frosting:

Combine the butter and confectioner's sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric beater until light.

If desired, flavor with optional cinnamon or maple syrup.

Spread over cooled brownies.

Makes 16 brownies.

The Ominivores Hundred

My friend Rain posted this and I thought it kind of interesting...See what you think !!

Have seen this one a few times now — most recently at Lyndons — and find it rather interesting, so here it is:

The rules are fairly simple enough to follow.

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten (go here for links if you don’t know what something is).
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

4) Optional extra: Post a comment at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results. Or you can leave me a comment so I can check out your list as well.

1. Venison.		51. Prickly pear.
2. Nettle tea.		52. Umeboshi.
3. Huevos rancheros.		53. Abalone.
4. Steak tartare.		54. Paneer.
5. Crocodile		55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal.
6. Black pudding.		56. Spaetzle.
7. Cheese fondue.		57. Dirty gin martini.
8. Carp.		58. Beer above 8% ABV.
9. Borscht.		59. Poutine.
10. Baba ghanoush.		60. Carob chips.
11. Calamari.		61. S’mores.
12. Pho.		62. Sweetbreads.
13. PB&J sandwich.		63. Kaolin.
14. Aloo gobi.		64. Currywurst.
15. Hot dog from a street cart.		65. Durian.
16. Epoisses.		66. Frogs’ legs.
17. Black truffle.		67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake.
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes.		68. Haggis.
19. Steamed pork buns.		69. Fried plantain.
20. Pistachio ice cream.		70. Chitterlings, or andouillette.
21. Heirloom tomatoes.		71. Gazpacho.
22. Fresh wild berries.		72. Caviar and blini.
23. Foie gras.		73. Louche absinthe.
24. Rice and beans.		74. Gjetost, or brunost.
25. Brawn, or head cheese.		75. Roadkill.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper.		76. Baijiu.
27. Dulce de leche.		77. Hostess Fruit Pie.
28. Oysters.		78. Snail.
29. Baklava.		79. Lapsang souchong.
30. Bagna cauda.		80. Bellini.
31. Wasabi peas.		81. Tom yum.
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl.		82. Eggs Benedict.
33. Salted lassi.		83. Pocky.
34. Sauerkraut.		84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
35. Root beer float.		85. Kobe beef.
36. Cognac with a fat cigar.		86. Hare.
37. Clotted cream tea.		87. Goulash.
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O.		88. Flowers.
39. Gumbo.		89. Horse
40. Oxtail.		90. Criollo chocolate.
41. Curried goat.		91. Spam.
42. Whole insects.		92. Soft shell crab.
43. Phaal.		93. Rose harissa.
44. Goat’s milk.		94. Catfish.
45. Malt whiskey from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more.		95. Mole poblano.
46. Fugu.		96. Bagel and lox.
47. Chicken tikka masala.		97. Lobster Thermidor.
48. Eel.		98. Polenta.
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut.		99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.
50. Sea urchin.		100. Snake.

Challah (Jewish Egg Bread)

The following recipe is taken from "the vegetarian epicure" by anna thomas, 1972.

Pictured below the recipe is my sister Rita doing all the work!!

Challah (Jewish Egg Bread)

1 package yeast

2 tsp. sugar

1.25 cups warm water

4.5 - 5 cups hard-wheat, white flour

2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

2 Tbs. melted butter or oil

1 egg yolk

sesame seeds or poppy seeds

Dissolve the yeast in .25 cup of the water and add the sugar. Sift 4 cups of the flour together with the salt into a large mixing bowl and add the 2 eggs, the melted butter or oil, and the rest of the water, as well as the yeast mixture.

Stir vigorously until all is well-blended. Dust a large board with about .5 cup flour and turn the dough out to knead. Knead in as much of the remaining flour as needed to make a smooth, elastic, non-sticky dough.

Grease a large bowl and put the dough into it. Cover and leave it to rise in a fairly warm place for about 1 hour. Punch it down and let it rise again until double in bulk.

On a lightly floured board, shape the Challah: first divide the dough into 2 parts - one slightly larger than the other. Then cut the larger part into 3 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into strips and form a fat, even braid. Place it in the middle of a buttered baking sheet.

Now repeat this procedure with a smaller piece of dough and place the second braid on top of the first.

Cover with a light tea towel and let rise for about .5 hour.



Brush the loaf heavily with the egg yolk then,



sprinkle it generously with poppy or sesame seeds.


Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes.

You will have one very large and impressive Challah, golden brown and shiny."

Buns, The Thanksgiving Controversy

We had a great Thanksgiving in Methuen, but we forgot to bring the buns !! Actually we didn't even make them>>>>>Lots of controversy over that!!

Anne made them today and I thought I'd post the pictures

A Single Potato Bun, cooked to a perfect golden brown.

A Basket of Buns....

Oh look!! There's...

...Joe enjoying a hot Buttered bun

We had so many Buns..

We had to throw some of them away!!
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Just kidding, they were too tasty to throw away.

Whoopie Pies !!

Sister "M" sent me this recipe today and I've included a picture....but it's courtesy of ogden2k

When she makes them next time she promises that I'll be there to take a picture!!

THE RECIPE:

In a large mixing bowl, place the following ingredients and beat till smooth.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsps baking soda
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup & 1 Tbsp. milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Drop spoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 5 -7 minutes.

(Note: I use a medium sized cookie scoop to get them all approx. the same size.)

Filling

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-2 Tbsp. milk for consistency

Place all in a large bowl and beat well till smooth and fluffy.

Assemble the pies and enjoy!!

Thanks Sis!!

Fresh Strawberry-Kiwi Pie

Topped with fresh whipped cream, this Strawberry/Kiwi Pie will put a smile on your face.

Ingredients:

• 1 9" Pie Shell
• 1 Qt Fresh Strawberries Washed & Hulled (Leave Whole)
• 2 Fresh Ripe Kiwi, Halved and Sliced
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 3 TBSP Cornstarch
• 1/8 TSP salt
• 3 TBSP White Corn Syrup
• 1 Cup Water
• 3 TBSP Sugar Free Strawberry Flavored Gelatin

Bake Pie Shell and allow to cool.

In Saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, corn syrup and water. Heat, stirring frequently until mixture thickens.

Remove from heat and stir in 3 TBSP of flavored Gelatin.....allow mixture to cool to room temperature..you don't want it to set up so get your fruit into the shell!!

Place strawberries in shell evenly...they should cover the 9 inch pie shell

Place kiwi slices on shell between strawberries and around edge.

Ladle the thickened Gelatin over fruit and then place pie in the Fridge and cool completely

Before Serving top pie with fresh whipped cream and garnish with a few Strawberry Slices