Lisa's Recipes

Here we go. Just the beginning now. Be forewarned -- lots of chocolate! :)

Bran Muffins * Breakfast Casserole * Chocolate Chewies * Chocolate Fruitcakes * Cinnamon Chicken with Raita * Classic Oven Fries * Double Chocolate Bars * Godiva Ultimate Flourless Cake * Green Bean Casserole * Holiday Party Mix * Pizza Crust * Rum Balls * Wickedly Rich Fudge Brownies

BRAN MUFFINS  My killer muffin recipe

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups bran cereal
1 1/4 cups skim milk
egg substitute equaling 1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl, combine cereal and milk. Let stand 5 minutes or until cereal softens. Add egg and oil. Beat well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. Portion evenly into muffin tin (12 muffins) either sprayed with pam or lined with papers. Bake at 400º F 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Add in almost anything you want -- berries, smushed bananas, chocolate chips, etc. These can be any muffins you want them to be.


BREAKFAST CASSEROLE  One of the foods we served at our bridesmaids' brunch

6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. dried mustard
6 oz. cheddar cheese (grated)
1 lb. sausage
Frozen hash brown patties

Line 8 x 8 glass baking dish with frozen hash browns. Cook, drain, and crumple sausage. Mix together mustard, eggs, and milk; pour over meat and hash browns. Top with grated cheedar cheese. Refrigerate overnight. Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Makes 4 or 6 servings.


CHOCOLATE CHEWIES  From the kitchen of Kathy Bauknight

3 cups packed confectioner's sugar
7 Tablespoons leveled and packed cocoa (1/2 cup cocoa minus 1 Tablespoon)
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
3 egg whites
2 cups (8 oz.) chopped pecans Not for me -- allergic to pecans. I substitute Grape Nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl combine the sugar, cocoa, flour, and salt. Stir in the egg whites and then beat at high speed for at least one minute. Stir in the pecans. Drop the batter by the spoonful, two inches apart, onto grocery sack paper that you've cut to fit the cookie sheets. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Insides should be soft and a little gooey, outsides a crispy meringue. Cool cookies before removing from paper. Store in an airtight container. Makes 1 1/2 to 2 dozen cookies.


CHOCOLATE FRUITCAKES  From the kitchen of Marva Lee Antley.

1 cup butter
6 1-ounce squares of semisweet baking chocolate
1 ¼ cups of sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup walnuts
¾ cup pecans
1 cup candied cherries
1 cup candied pineapple

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat in heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. Stir in sugar and then eggs one at a time. Add flour and salt, stirring until completely incorporated. Add fruit and nuts. Spray 4 mini loaf pans (5 ¾ by 3 ½ by 2 inches) with cooking spray and pour in batter. Bake at 350 for at least 35 minutes. A wooden stick inserted about ¾ inch from a corner should come out slightly discolored, but not completely clean. These are easy to overbake, so watch carefully. Cool 15 minutes, then turn out of pan and cool completely. Store in refrigerator. Freezes well.


CINNAMON CHICKEN WITH RAITA  From Martha Stewart's "Everyday Food".

Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cucumber (about 3/4 pound), peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons cilantro (dried; use 2 tablespoons for fresh)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, mix 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cinnamon. Sprinkle on the chicken. Put chicken in small casserole dish, put in oven, and bake for 35 minutes or until done.
In a small bowl, stir together cucumber, yogurt, sour cream, cilantro, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Refridgerate while chicken bakes.
Serve chicken hot, with raita on the side.


CLASSIC OVEN FRIES  From Good Housekeeping.

2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
3 medium baking potatoes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat over to 425. Brush cookie sheet with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Wash but don't peel potatoes. Cut lengthwise into quarters, then cut each quarter into two wedges.
In a large bowl, mix remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss in potato wedges, mixing well.
Pour into oiled cookie sheet. Arrange the wedges so they are cut side up.
Bake at 425 for 25 minutes until tender and crisp.


Double Chocolate Bars, from the kitchen of Bob Potts.

1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, divided
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cut walnuts
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup cocoa, the sugar, and butter; mix well. Press firmly over the bottom of an ungreased 9" by 12" baking dish.
In a medium bowl, beat the sweetened condensed milk, flour, egg, vanilla, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 cut cocoa; stir in the walnuts. Spread evenly over the graham cracker crust. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool, then cut into bars. Makes 12 to 15 bars.


Godiva Ultimate Flourless Cake

8 bars (1.5 ounces each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan. Line with parchment or waxed paper.
Place chocolate, sugar and coffee in food processor bowl. Cover and process until finely ground. With motor running, pour boiling water through feed tube. Process 10 to 15 seconds or until mixture is smooth. Add butter and process for 5 seconds. Add eggs and vanilla and process for about 5 seconds or until mixture is smooth and creamy. Spread mixture in prepared pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until edge of cake is puffy and center is just set. Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until ready to serve.


GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE  What I take to EVERY potluck I attend

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of potato soup
1/2 cup milk
Dash pepper
2 cans of cut green beans
1 can french fried Onions
1-1.5 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

Mix soup, milk, pepper, beans, cheese, and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2-qt. casserole dish. Bake at 350°F. for 25 min. or until hot. Stir, then sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 min. Serves 6.


HOLIDAY PARTY MIX  From Very Best Baking.

9 cups oven-toasted corn cereal squares
4 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Holiday Shapes & Morsels (Choose whatever fits the holiday....)
1 small package chocolate covered pretzels (white chocolate for Christmas) -- I use the tiny, bite-sized candies

PREHEAT oven to 250° F. Grease LARGE roasting pan.
MIX cereal, popped popcorn and peanuts in large bowl. Pour into prepared pan.
COMBINE brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract and baking soda. Pour evenly over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly.
BAKE for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan, stirring frequently to break apart mixture. Stir in Shapes & Morsels and pretzels (MAKE SURE THE MIX IS COLD BEFORE YOU ADD CANDIES). Store in airtight container.


PIZZA CRUST

2 c. bread flour
1 t. active dry yeast
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. water
1/8 c. olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 t. oregano

Put yeast in bread machine, then flour, then other dry ingredients except oregano. Add olive oil then water. Process on manual. When machine beeps while kneading the dough, add oregano. Allow to finish processing. Let rest 15 minutes. If you want thick crust, stretch onto greased pan (grease your hands, too), top with sauce and other toppings, and back at 450 for 12 minutes. If you want thin crust, divide dough in half. Using one half, follow directions above. Freeze the other half.


RUM BALLS

3 c. finely crushed vanilla-wafer crumbs
1 c. ground nuts
2 c. powdered sugar, divided
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2/3 c. rum

Mix vanilla wafer crumbs, pecans, 1 c. powdered sugar and cocoa in bowl. Add corn syrup and rum, mixing well. Roll into balls the size of walnuts. Roll in remaining 1 cup powdered sugar. Store in tight-fitting container.


WICKEDLY RICH FUDGE BROWNIES  From the Godiva.com website.

Fudge Brownies:
3 (1.5 ounces each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
10 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Mocha Glaze:
2 (1.5 ounces each) Godiva Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 teaspoons cognac or dark rum (optional)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Make the brownies:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil so that the foil extends 2 inches beyond two opposite sides of the pan. Lightly butter the bottom of foil-lined pan.
Place chocolate and butter in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50% power) for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds more or until chocolate is softened. Stir until smooth. Pour into large mixing bowl and let cool 10 minutes.
Add sugar and salt to melted chocolate mixture, beating until smooth with electric mixer at medium speed. Beat in corn syrup and vanilla.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour just until combined. Stir in walnuts. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly creamy. Do not overbake. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Make the glaze:
Place chocolate and butter in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50% power) for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave 30 seconds more or until chocolate is softened. Stir until smooth.
Stir together vanilla and coffee granules in small cup.
Add milk, corn syrup, coffee mixture and cognac to melted chocolate and beat until thickened, using a whisk. Pour glaze over brownies and sprinkle with walnuts. Chill for 30 minutes or until glaze is set.
Using the two ends of the foil as handles, lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut into bars. Remove brownies from foil.


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This page last updated 5 December 2005.
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