Bittersweet Chocolate Tart

Bittersweet Chocolate Tart  with chocolate wafer crust

I haven't made this yet but found the recipe in email from The Lost Kitchen and will get around to it. 

Ingredients:

FOR THE CRUST:
1 (9oz box) of chocolate wafers, such as Nabisco
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING:
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE GLAZE:
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Maldon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

MAKE THE CRUST: 
In a food processor pulse the chocolate wafers and sugar until well ground (it's ok to have some larger bits of chocolate crumbs). Transfer the wafer mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the melted butter until well incorporated. 

Press the crust mixture into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Bake until the crust is set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. 

MAKE THE FILLING:
Put the chocolate chips in a large bowl.  

Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate bits and let the mixture sit for 1 minute to melt. Stir gently until the mixture is smooth. 

In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and vanilla. Whisk the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then pour the filling into the cooled tart shell. 

Bake the tart until the edges being to puff and the first ctack appears - the center will still be jiggly - 18to 20 minutes. Let cool completely, until set. 

MAKE THE GLAZE:
Put the chocolate chips in a small bowl. 

In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it simmers gently and then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute then whisk until smooth. Pour over the tart and allow to set, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Maldon salt, cut and serve in thin slices. 

Kielbasa and Sauerkraut

 

Great for a cold winter night. Serve with apple sauce, roasted brussels sprouts and potato pancakes. 

INGREDIENTS

  

·       2 pounds kielbasa smoked sausage

·       1 28-oz jar sauerkraut

·       2 tablespoons brown sugar

·       1 tablespoon dried minced onions

·       1 teaspoon garlic powder

·       ½ teaspoon black pepper

·       2 tablespoons butter cut into smaller pieces

·       ¼ cup water or apple cider

INSTRUCTIONS

1.                   Preheat oven to 350°, and grease a baking dish with cooking spray

2.                   Slice larger ropes of kielbasa into smaller pieces, about 3 inches long

3.                   Rinse and drain sauerkraut, then place on bottom of baking dish

4.                   Season with brown sugar, onions, garlic and pepper, and add water

5.                   Place butter evenly over sauerkraut, and top with kielbasa

6.                   Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until sausage is cooked to 160 degrees

Ginger Lime Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons loosely packed (4 grams) finely grated lime zest 
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar 
• 3½ tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (40 grams) powdered sugar 
• ½ teaspoon (9 grams) peeled and grated fresh ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
• 1 large egg yolk (19 grams)
• ¾ cup plus 1½ tablespoons (105 grams) all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached 
• ¾ teaspoon (3.4 grams) baking powder 
• ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

1. Add lime zest to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add granulated sugar and rub it into lime zest.
2. Add butter and powdered sugar. Attach flat beater and beat on low to incorporate. Increase speed to medium and beat until light in color and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
3. Add ginger and egg yolk, and beat until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to mixer bowl and beat on low, scraping down sides, just until incorporated and large clumps form. Remove bowl from mixer and press dough into a large ball.
5. Line a 17-by-14-inch cookie sheet with parchment. Set dough on a piece of plastic wrap and top with a second piece of plastic wrap. Press to flatten and roll to ¼ inch thick. Slip dough onto prepared cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm enough to cut out cookies, 1-2 hours.
6. Lift off top piece of plastic wrap. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out cookies, and transfer them to cookie sheet, 1 inch apart. Knead scraps and shape into a disc. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll and cut.
7. Continue until you have used all dough. Refrigerate cookie sheet, lightly covered, at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour 20 minutes before baking. Set an oven rack in middle position and set oven to 325 degrees. 
8. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate cookie sheet a half turn. Continue baking until cookies are golden around the edges, 5-10 minutes more.
9. Use a thin pancake turner to transfer cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container 10 days at room temperature.

Cinnamon Swirl Baked French Toast

INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS

• 1 loaf (16 ounces) Cinnamon Swirl Bread, cut into 1-inch pieces (Pepperidge Farm <no raisins> or similar- in this case it’s JessicasBrickOven.com bread I found at Hannaford
• 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries or fresh blueberries (optional)
• 5 eggs
• 2.5 cups half and half or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the bread pieces and cranberries into a lightly greased 3-quart shallow baking dish.

Beat the eggs, half-and-half and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk. Pour the egg mixture over the bread pieces. Stir and press the bread pieces into the egg mixture to coat.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Be careful not to over-toast the top, tent with foil if it starts to brown. 

Serve with maple syrup and favorite breakfast meat. I like breakfast sausages pattys with this. 

Banana Muffins

These delicious banana muffins are light and cake-like. Great way to use up some ripe bananas. 

A new favorite! 

Ingredients

1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

4 large bananas, mashed 

3⁄4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1⁄3 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line cups with paper liners. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.

Mix bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla and melted butter in a separate large bowl until well combined; fold in flour mixture until smooth. Add chocolate chips. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. I sprinkle with a little (one packet) of sugar in the raw (turbinado). 

Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 30 minutes. Cool briefly in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Thin Mints

 

Homemade Thin Mints

Alyssa Rivers

These Thin Mints are way better than the popular boxed version! Perfectly crispy chocolaty cookies are sweetened with just the right amount of mint!

PREP TIME 20 mins

COOK TIME 15 mins

TOTAL TIME 35 mins

COURSE Dessert

CUISINE American

SERVINGS 17 cookies

CALORIES 171 kcal

INGREDIENTS

  

Cookies

• 4 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Chocolate Coating

• 8 ounces chocolate melting wafers
• ¼ teaspoon coconut oil
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Beat together softened butter, sugar, peppermint extract and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until combined and fluffy.
• Sift flour and cocoa powder into a small mixing bowl. Stir in salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until a dough forms, scrape the side of the bowl as necessary while mixing to ensure the flour is mixing well with the butter.
  
• Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten it into a disk, wrap well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• When the dough is firm but still malleable, take it out of the refrigerator and roll it into ¼” thick on a cocoa dusted surface. Cut with a 2” cookie cutter. Reroll the scraps and keep cutting out cookies until the dough is gone.
  
• Place the cookies in a container or lined baking sheet and freeze for about 15 minutes while the oven is preheating.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• When the oven is ready, place cookies on another parchment-lined baking sheet 1” - 2” apart and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 - 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Combine chocolate, coconut oil and peppermint extract in a heatproof bowl, set it over a pot of simmering water, stir until chocolate is melted completely.
• Dip cooled cookies in the melted chocolate using a fork, turn to coat both sides. Tap excess chocolate off and place coated cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Allow chocolate coating to dry completely at room temperature or refrigerate to speed it up.

Crockpot Spanish Rice Recipe

 

Crockpot Spanish Rice Recipe

Crockpot Spanish Rice is full of delicious Mexican spices. This savory side tastes like it came from your favorite restaurant!

PREP TIME 10 mins

COOK TIME 2 hrs 30 mins

TOTAL TIME 2 hrs 40 mins

COURSE Side Dish

CUISINE Mexican

SERVINGS 8 cups

CALORIES 66 kcal

INGREDIENTS

  

• 2 cups long grain rice
• ⅛ cup vegetable oil
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt (with parsley flakes)
• 1 teaspoon garlic minced
• 4 cups chicken broth low sodium
• dash cumin
• pepper to taste
• 6 stems chopped cilantro optional

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Grease a slow cooker with cooking spray.
• Heat oil in large frying pan on medium heat. Add rice and cook until golden brown (about 5 minutes).
• Remove rice from heat and add to the slow cooker. Pour in tomato sauce, salt, minced garlic, chicken broth, cumin and pepper and stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on high for 2½-3 hours or until the liquid is gone. 
• Add fresh, chopped cilantro, if desired and serve warm.