Pots and Pins

Mrs. Sally Gregg's Nut Cake...

Oh my...can we talk?  You are going to be SO jealous when I tell you what I did last night!!!  But I want you to remember that it was a once in a blue-moon event...it only happens every 4 years or so...so I had to make the most of it!  While the entire country, or so it seemed, was out dancing the night away at one of the zillion inaugural balls...I was having the time of my life...I was in bed and, brace yourselves, I had COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE REMOTE!!!  Oh yes I did!  The mister had to go spend the night at a sleep center so he could be told by "professionals" that he snores like the C-train on rusty rails, (he didn't believe me when I told him that so sleeping in a room hooked up to monitors with strangers watching and paying for the privilege will set him straight!)  So that meant I had the entire evening where I could watch whatever I wanted for as long as I wanted!!  It was glorious...I didn't go to sleep until after 2:00!!  Who knew there was such good TV on at night!?          

Before my evening was in full swing, I made this very interesting "cake."  My dear sweet mom sent me an email with the recipe and told me this was "absolutely wonderful" and that I had to make it.  She was given a "cake" by my SIL, Miss Ellie, formerly of the very refined city of Charleston-we-shall-rise-again-South-Carolina.  Miss Ellie grew up eating this "cake" - which isn't really a cake at all...it's more like a cookie with nuts except that you slice it and eat it with a fork and it is very, very good...addictively so.  I haven't been able to leave it alone!  Mrs. Gregg, Miss Ellie's Mom, is not the originator of the recipe, but she has been the keeper of the recipe for years and years so I have attributed it to her, and it is with her permission, via Miss Ellie that I share it will you today.     

Mrs. Gregg made this for Christmas each year but I think it would make a perfect Valentine's gift and since it's very rich, a little goes a long way.  This is what Mrs. Gregg had to say about this cake:

"The Christmas after my daddy died, Momma's sister and one of her daughters came to see us.  While she was visiting she made this cake.  We made it after that whenever we could afford to.  Then after your daddy and I had been married for a couple of years, Momma was at our house and we made it.  Daddy's friend, Mr. Bob, ate some at our house and loved it so much that I began to make it every Christmas for him.  I continued to make it every year until a few years ago when I began to have trouble with my hands, and I found it just too hard to mix.  I thought you might like to have the history of how we came to make this concoction."  

Concoction...that's the word I was looking for!  Mr. and Mrs. Gregg have been married for over 50 years and this recipe came from her aunt so it's an old one and you should know it IS expensive to make.  A pound and a half of pecans (say it like my SIL...PEE-CAN, not pe-cawn) at $12.00 a pound will set you back about $15.00 and that's just for the pecans!  This cost me about $25 to make...so it's not a cheap dessert but it does make a lot and it keeps forever in the fridge - just like a fruit cake - except that this is NOT a fruit cake...nothing like it!  It's chewy and nutty and so, so good!  As my teeth rot from the sugar and my thighs grow bigger I will continue to mumble thanks (in between bites) to Mrs. Gregg for sharing this family recipe and beg her forgiveness for adapting it to fit my needs!

Mrs. Sally Gregg's Nut Cake - Adapted from Sally Gregg and Ellen Wagner

I am going to give you the half recipe amounts but if you're crazy and want to double this recipe, go ahead, but just know that it makes a TON!   Also, my SIL and Mrs. Gregg make this in the microwave, I opted for the stove top, which I think is easier.

2 boxes (12 o.z) Nabisco Nilla wafers

2 packages (10 oz.) marshmallows

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 bottle (16 oz.) maraschino cherries, chopped, but save some for decorating cake top

5 cups broken pecans, not too finely chopped

2 cups broken walnuts

pecan halves for decorating top of cake

Line 2 loaf pans with wax paper.  In a large heavy pot over low heat, combine marshmallows and evaporated milk, stirring constantly until melted.  Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients with a wooden spoon until all is well mixed.  Work quickly as it is easier to stir while it's still warm.  (Mrs. Gregg, who melts her marshmallows in the microwave, also waits until the mixture is cool enough to handle and uses her hands to mix.)  Divide batter between 2 loaf pans (Mrs. Gregg uses cookie tins at Christmas time).  Put a little butter on your hands and push mixture down in the pan, the butter will keep the mixture from sticking to your hands.  When it is pushed down tightly, decorate the top with the reserved nuts and cherries.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.  Slice into thin slices to serve, as it is very rich.  This will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator.   

"It is delightfully easy to thank God for the grace we ourselves have received, but it requires great grace to thank God always for the grace given to others.  ~ James Smith

BLT Wraps...

I make these for the mister on game days...but I'm sure he couldn't tell you what's in them because he downs them like water.  I've watched his entire eating-while-watching-football process - he takes about 3 bites and swallows per wrap so the wonderful ingredients don't even have a nano-second to hit on a taste bud...but then again, I believe I've already established that he doesn't have taste buds so I guess it's no great loss!             

These are super simple to make and you really don't need a recipe - just use what you've got on hand and call it good.  But here's a few tips for you...cook your bacon in the oven on a cookie sheet.  The strips will stay flat instead of curling up.  Also, don't slather them with mayo and cheese, as they are rolled up it will just squirt out the ends making a mess.  About 1 1/2 tablespoons of each is plenty.  I made these the other night for the women who helped with the reception and I'm so glad I did - we were all starving by the time we finished setting up and these little beauts hit the spot.  These also make a great lunch and since they travel well, they're great for picnics too.   

BLT Wraps - ME

10 flour tortillas

1 lb. bacon (about 18 to 20 slices)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup Queso cheese dip (I buy the 15 oz. jar of Tostitos Queso Dip but you can use any brand)

10 Romaine lettuce leaves

1/2 large red pepper, finely diced

2 large tomatoes, finely diced

4 green onions, finely diced

1 large avocado, thinly sliced

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place bacon strips on rimmed baking sheet and bake in oven for about 20 minutes, check after 15 minutes for crispness.  Remove from oven and place strips on paper toweling to catch some of the grease.  Meanwhile, assemble the wraps.  Spread a smear of mayo on each tortilla (about 1 1/2 tablespoons).  Top mayo with a smear of queso dip.  Place lettuce leaf on top of queso dip.  Sprinkle remaining ingredients on top, dividing evenly between the 10 tortillas.  Place two strips of bacon on each tortilla (if your pound of bacon didn't yield 10 strips then put 1 1/2 strips on each.)  Roll up each wrap tightly and place seam side down.  If not serving right away, you can wrap them individually for a long refrigeration or together if being refrigerated for a few hours.  Makes 10 wraps.   

"Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast."  ~ William Shakespeare

Brown Sugar Pound Cake...

I was given some brown sugar scrub for Christmas...and let me tell you, it was almost the death of me!  I had to throw it out because it was all I could do to keep from licking it off my arms while I was showering each morning!  The smell of brown sugar...even in the shower...was  intoxicating so to say I had sugar on the brain would be fair...from the moment I stepped out of the shower each morning all I wanted to do was make something with brown sugar...and it just seemed so unfair that I would be punished by high blood sugars for eating something that I washed with that morning!  So I fought the urge and was winning the battle until I came across this recipe...and really, how can I be blamed for succumbing?  Brown Sugar Pound Cake...think about it just for a minute...brown sugar, so sweet with it's seductive hint of molasses...and pound cake...thick, dense, moist, rich, what's not to love?!?        

The pound cake by itself is worthy of it's own applause but the glaze that goes on top...well, this is serious stuff.  It's almost like a praline...a Louisiana Praline...where you bite into this crisp, crunchy sugared candy and it melts instantly in your mouth, leaving you wanting more...craving to the point that if you don't get it someone is going to be hurt!  

This is a HORRIBLE shot of this fabulous cake...the glaze should not be this lumpy...but after I poured it onto the cake I couldn't resist trying to "smooth" it...which only resulted in the mess on top!  But, as I like to say (whenever I mess something up) it's not what it looks like that matters but how it tastes...and this tastes dang good.  Oh...one more confession...I cooked my glaze a tad too long...which when set was a bit harder than it should have been...it was still amazing but it's supposed to be like a thick frosting so do as I say and not as I did!  This recipe was first published in 1970 and was recently republished last year - it's a winner kids, I promise!

Brown Sugar Pound Cake - From Southern Living 40 Years of Our Best Recipes

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups light brown sugar

5 large eggs

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon maple flavoring (or vanilla extract)

Brown Sugar Glaze recipe follows

Beat shortening, butter, and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; add alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Stir in flavoring.  Pour batter into a greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan.  Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.  While cake cooks, make Brown Sugar Glaze then pour over cake.  Let cake stand 30 minutes or until glaze is firm.

Brown Sugar Glaze

1/2 cup butter

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Make this as the cake cools, don't make while the cake is baking, it will set and then you won't be able to pour it over the cake.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in brown sugar, and cook 1 minute.  (Do not cook longer!)  Add milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla, whisk until creamy.  Remove from heat and immediately pour over cooled cake.  Glaze with set as it cools.  Serves 12.

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"God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart. ~ Izaak Walton

Wedding Pics...

It's over...and it was wonderful.  The bride walked into her reception and screamed with joy - she said is was more than she could have hoped for...so we did our job and then some!  It was a  l o n g  day and when I limped to the bed and crawled in, the mister said something about slave-labor and the first thing that popped into my head was it's good practice for MY next wedding...of course, I swallowed those words, along with a handful of vicodin, and went right to sleep.  It was not slave-labor but a labor of love and even though the mister was chidding me he was there helping to set up with the rest of the slaves and while he hummed "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" he actually managed to be of some use.  I mention this because I know it will come as a shock to my family who will not be able to visualize the mister distributing floral arrangements, putting up little white lights and even helping to drape tuille...but there you have it.  Once a year the mister serves, so now he's good until 2010.     

(You can click on any picture to see it larger.)  Those white panels on the wall are actually covers for the fish pictures that are underneath - clever, no?  One of our "frosted trees" ...the silver punch bowl held big pink cones of cotton candy - it was the only thing the groom wanted at his reception - cotton candy...yes, he's young.     

Why does someone's foot always end up in pictures?!?  Sheesh!  The fireplace and mantel were really much prettier in person!  I really tried to think of a way to cover those salmon on the wall...but then I remembered how revered the salmon is in the Northwest...so really, it was an honor to have them up there...the ice cream sundae table - before the onslaught of children...I think my tomato cage chandelier looks pretty darn cute and it did get lots of compliments...perhaps I'll go into the tomato cage chandelier business?!       

Alas, I only got one shot of the bride...her dress was unbelieveable...I'm sorry I don't have a better photo of the dress to show you but it was amazing!  It was made by Roxanne Teddy, a woman who is an artiste at everything she does - and this dress is truly a work of art. So that's it...once the bride arrived I was in the kitchen with the best women on earth and we worked like crazy keeping everything running smoothly so there was no time for more pictures.  There were a few glitches - there always is - but the guests didn't notice and the bride was happy - what more could they ask for?

Wedding Flowers...

Well...let me just say this and get it over with...we, me and my band of merry friends, are nothing short of geniuses!  Seriously...we outdid ourselves - no easy task!  I told you about the wedding...big plans but short on $$$...so we got creative - we went picking in yards around the neighborhood and only in the Northwest in winter could you find all the great stuff we found...this is what we started with -        

Ten bags filled with greens...boxwood, japonica, laurel, jasmine, euonymous, dusty miller, magnolia, and about ten other things that I don't have names for plus mossy branches covered with lichen and curly willow...the shot on the right is what was left after the arrangements were put together - we overpicked just a bit and even "borrowed" from a yard or two without permission...was that wrong?  We felt that helping to "prune" a bush here or a tree there was the "Christian" thing to do - I'll go repent now!    

The picture above on the left is the arrangement made for the "book" table - it sits in a large mercury glass vase - isn't it incredible?!  Here's a shot of some of the arrangements - all are in glass bowls, some footed - some not - that were collected from people or purchased from Value Village - they will go on the ten 60-inch rounds that will be in the room...see all the different things in each arrangement?!?  You couldn't PAY for that!  Well you could but it would cost about $300 a piece!  And we got it FREE!  Oh, we did purchase the green pom-poms and the baby's breath - they needed a bit of "punch."   

Now really...aren't they spectacular?!  And they were FREE...well, practically free.  These women pulled off yet another miracle and I'm sure this evening's reception is going to be beautiful... 

The bride's bouquet is filled with ivory roses, blush roses, lizianthus, freesia, chrysanthemum and even a carnation or two!   The stems are wrapped with ivory satin and pinned with pearl beads - it smells lovely and the bride said she loved it - another bullet dodged!  The bridesmaid bouquets were each a little different - going for that shabby chic thing again...the bride didn't like the baby's breath so that was removed - I personally liked it because it was sweeter but then, what do I know?!  Anyway, she loved the final "product" so there will be no tears over the bouquets! 

Valentine Quilt For Baby Max...

I was feeling like a failure as a grandma when I realized that I didn't make Baby Max a Christmas quilt!  I'm not going to make that mistake again!!!  His Valentine quilt is all boxed up and ready to go - he'll have it in time to make several appearances at Target, Toys R Us and his cousins homes before the big day arrives - and I will be there to celebrate with him too - maybe we'll have a party?!? 

 

The quilt is made from scraps with a muslin backing and is hand quilted - just so I can tell him every stitch was made with love - and since Baby Max is a wee bit on the tiny side, it's the perfect size for him, 45x45-inches

Here's a recent shot of the little dumpling...he was having his 9 month check-up at the doc's - and he's not smiling because he just received a vaccination...I believe this is his sad face!  The picture is a bit blurry because the girl was in a hurry but I think you can see that Baby Max continues to be the most beautiful baby on the planet - my apologies to the other grandma's out there...it is what it is!

I especially love the way his little tummy sticks out over the diaper...reminds me of something...something familiar...something I see every day...if I could only remember!

And no, it's NOT to early to put out your Valentine decorations!

Cheesy Grits and Corn Souffle...

I've been up to my gray hair(s) with wedding bizness this week, we're down to the wire...Sunday we chopped down vine maple trees, Monday we trimmed them and put them in buckets with plastar.  Tuesday we "frosted" them with white spray paint and glitter, Wednesday we picked up the flowers from the wholesaler, Today we're headed out to "harvest" whatever we can from the neighborhood...greens of all kinds...Friday we're putting the table centerpieces together - 10 of them plus two for the food table and one for the book table...and Saturday is the wedding...including setting up, two hours of smiling, and tearing down...so if I seem a bit scattered, it's for a good reason.            

It takes a village to put on a wedding and the entire village is in on this one, including the village idiot, which as you know, is me as I have been declared the wedding "planner".  The mister is fascinated by this - as he pointed out, I am not able to add up the checkbook and yet I can plan a wedding - it is rather remarkable!  As with all weddings, in between the big stuff there is a lot of little stuff to take care of...and always last minute details to tend to - so I'm looking forward to Sunday when life will be back to normal, it will sort of be like a vacation!   

A little comfort food was in order last night...little souffles filled with cheese, corn, and grits...oh, don't you dare turn your nose up at grits!  You've got to taste these little babies first!  They are SO good...and creamy and light and they would be perfect for a brunch, breakfast or an evening when you just need a little sustenance before you assume the fetal postion in the middle of the floor!

Cheesy Grits and Corn Souffle - Adapted from Southern Living, January 2009

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup grits

3/4 cup grated aged Cheddar cheese

2 large egg yolks

3/4 cup pureed canned corn (puree in a blender, do not use creamed corn)

1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt

3 large egg whites

Make the grits:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bring milk and cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and stirring constantly, add grits in a slow, steady stream.  Continue stirring until thick, about 25 minutes (if using instant grits it will only take about 8 minutes).  Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly. 

Make the pudding:  Stir cheese and pureed corn into the grits.  Temper the yolks by adding a little bit of the grits mixture to the yolks, and then add the yolks to the grits mixture.  Add remaining salt and pepper.  Beat egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold egg whites, in thirds, into the corn mixture.  Fill 6 ramekins, 3/4's full,  and place on baking sheet.  Bake until puffed, 40 to 45 minutes.  Serve immediately.  Serves 6.   

"I was 32 when I started cooking, up until then I just ate."  ~ Julia Child

Ozark Mountain Ham and Beans...

When we lived in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Rogers, Arkansas, we would make monthly jaunts on steep, winding roads to a little place that made the best dang bean soup that side of the Mississippi...I'll do anything to work Mississippi into a sentence...it's not only fun to say it's fun to type...try it...MiSSiSSiPPi...anyway, I can't remember the name of the little stone cottage, right off the highway from the Bella Vista Retirement Home - where I've reserved a room for the mister - but I'll never forget those beans and how they tasted...dark brown sugar, thick molasses and chunks of ham that had a deep sienna-brown color thanks to the molasses.  I pestered the people who ran the place every time I went there until little by little I was able to get enough of the ingredients out of them to try making the beans myself...and by golly...I think I succeeded!       

THIS is what you do with left over holiday ham...or if you don't have left over ham, THIS is what you buy ham for.  Forget what you know about "ham and beans" because this recipe isn't anything like the traditional dish you're probably used to...it's basically a Southern Elixir - a potion of molasses, sugar and mustard - yes mustard! that'll have you whistlin' Dixie and reaching for cornbread before you can say Jimmy crack corn and Ma don't care!   

Ozark Mountain Ham and Beans - Me

1 1/2 lbs. ham, cubed (about 3 cups)

2 cans (14 oz.) vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

1 large onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons pepper

1/2 cup molasses

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

3 cans (15 oz.) beans (pinto, cannilinni, navy) rinsed and drained**

In a Dutch oven combine ham, vegetable broth, onion, salt, pepper, molasses, brown sugar and mustard.  Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Stir in the beans**, return to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for additional 20 minutes.  Serves 6. 

**If you want the broth to be thicker, puree one or two cans of the beans and then add to the pot.  I usually do this with at least one can of the beans but this time I left the broth as it was - it's dang good either way.) 

"You cannot always control what goes on outside.  But you can always control what goes on inside."  ~  Dr. Wayne Dyer

Satsuma Orange Marmalade...

 

When I was blown across the parking lot by a bone-chilling gust of wind, thru the never closing doors of the local grocery store, the first thing I saw, stacked right in the entry, were boxes of satsuma's...bright, orange colored fruit - reminding me of summer, palm trees swaying in a gentle breeze, sandy beaches and the smell of sun-tan lotion...they were begging me to take them home...and so I did.  Alas...it doesn't matter how many satsuma's one eats, one will not hear ocean waves gently lapping the shore, nor will one turn into Bo Derek with beaded braids bouncing in slow-motion, sun glistening off hard-jiggle-proof body parts to the sounds of Ravel's Bolero thundering through an azure blue sky...but one can dream!  Biting into sweet, juicy little satsuma's may not solve your problems, and you may not be transported onto a white sandy beach, but you will taste summer...just a hint of it but it's there...enough to get you through yet another wild wintry day and one day closer to sun.

           

Satsuma's, like everything, don't last forever...so when those left over oranges begin to shrivel, and in no way conjure up images of fun in the sun - you make marmalade.  It's not difficult and your house will smell SO GOOD - seriously good - so good you'll want to lick the air you breathe before you breathe it which isn't really possible but the thought will be there.

   

This takes about 2 hours start to finish - maybe a little less - if you take out the time spent trying to lick the air...The satsuma's peel practically falls off and if your satsuma's are like mine, they probably won't yield much juice, so you can supplement with orange juice from the fridge if need be.  Orange marmalade...thick and gooey, sweet and bitter...remember Paddington Bear?  He traveled from the darkest Peru to London, and couldn't wait to sit down to a cup of tea and a biscuit slathered with marmalade!  Well, this is a much shorter journey to marmalade - and one well worth the time.

   

This recipe only makes 4 half pints - with a little extra for the cook's bonus.  The "bonus" was eaten immediately, one jar was given to a sick friend, leaving me two jars...one is half gone already and the other will be guarded with my life...in the event of an earthquake or any other natural disaster, I shall save the dog and my last jar of marmalade...get the picture? 

  One last thing...I added a vanilla bean to the marmalade because I once had orange marmalade that had a hint of vanilla to it and I loved it.  If you don't have a bean on hand, then don't worry, it will be fabulous without it but with it, well, it's divine!  

Satsuma Orange Marmalade - Adapted from several recipes, including Simply Recipes

14 satsuma oranges

2 cups juice from oranges (or from refrigerated orange juice)

2 cups peels, cut into thin strips

1 large lemon

1 vanilla bean

2 cups water

4 cups sugar

Also needed:  candy thermometer, several layers of cheesecloth or muslin for a pectin bag and string to tie with, sterilized jars.

Scrub oranges clean, discard any that are moldy or damaged.  Cut oranges in half and juice them, until you have 2 cups of juice.  If your oranges don't yield that much juice, supplement with additional orange juice.  Save the seeds and membranes in another bowl.  Clean out as much of the white pith as you can, leaving just the peel and then julienne the peels, stacking them on top of each other will allow you to cut several at once.  You should have about 2 cups of peels. 

Cut the lemon in half and juice it, adding to the orange juice.  Remove the membranes and seeds and add to the others.  Remove the pith and julienne the peel, add to the other peels.  Place all membranes and seeds in the center of a 14x14-inch piece of muslin or several layers of cheesecloth.  Tie up the ends, forming a bag, with string. 

Place the orange and lemon juice into a large Dutch oven, add the orange and lemon peels, vanilla bean and the water.  Place the muslin bag into the pot.  Bring mixture to a boil, uncovered, and boil for 30 minutes or until the peels are soft and cooked through. Remove the bag of membranes (the pectin bag) and the vanilla bean and set aside to cool.   Add 3 cups of the sugar to the orange mixture and stir to dissolve.  Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if you want it to be sweeter. 

When the pectin bag is cool enough to handle, begin squeezing it over the orange mixture by grasping a small bit of the bag and squeezing and keep doing this until you've got all that you can...basically you're "milking" the bag.  This takes a few minutes.  When you've gotten as much as you can from the bag, discard the bag.  Heat the mixture on medium high heat and bring to a rapid boil.  The marmalade needs to cook for about 20 minutes, or until it reaches 220 degrees on the candy thermometer and is somewhat thickened, (it will continue to thicken as it cools).  Remove from heat and pour into sterilized jars.  Let sit on the counter overnight and then keep in refrigerator.  Yield:  4 half pint jars.   

"In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you."  ~ Deepak Chopra

Coffee Crunch Bars...

I pretty much stand around and wait for the mailman to deliver my copy of Bon Appetit each month...and while I'm waiting I usually have to fight the urge to purchase a copy at the check-out aisle...so when this month's edition arrived I did what I always do...made myself a cup of hot cocoa and headed to the back room where the phone is inaccessible and the doorbell can't be heard - I hate to be disturbed when I have a new Bon Appetit in hand!  So - while I perused my copy I come across Molly Wizenberg's article about her friend Leah's recipe for these bars...Molly is the whiz-bang behind Orangette - a Seattle Blog that's taken the nation by storm - if you don't read it, you're the only one...and shame on you...she's brilliant, funny and spot on with her take on food.  So when Molly said these were, "the best cookies I had ever tasted" I knew I had to make them.  Of course, she said more than that...she wrote about the crumbly-ness and the crispiness and the flavors that were both sophisticated and sublime...basically she wrote food porn and I immediately went into the kitchen and ran some cold water over my hands...then proceeded to make this ridiculously easy cookie.       

These look like brownies but don't let the picture fool you...they are NOT brownies...they are more like biscotti - hard and crispy and yet as they dissolve in the mouth you'll be left with this rich, chocolately-almond-coffee-toffee taste...which is why you'll continue to eat them...bite after bite until the plate is half gone and then some alarm bell will sound in your head and you'll return to your senses and flee from the room before your hand - which is quicker than the brain - can stuff another one in your cookie-hole!

 As if the God's weren't smiling down on me enough - the same day my copy of Bon Appetit arrived, the same day I read this recipe, my order from King Arthur Flour showed up with my new container of Espresso Powder!  When a recipe called for espresso powder I used to substitute instant coffee, but how ignorant I was!  They are nothing alike...espresso powder is fine, like a flour - a dark flour, but not as dark as cocoa...and instant coffee is granular, dark in color and very course in texture compared to the powder.  Depending on how much espresso powder is used in a recipe you can get a richer, more satisfying chocolate-y taste to a nice mocha taste to a strong, clean coffee flavor...it's very adaptable and because it's a powder it dissolves easily...try it!

Coffee Crunch Bars - Bon Appetit, February 2009, Leah Reich

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups (firmly packed) dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.  Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl until blended, about 2 minutes.  Add espresso powder and almond extract, beat 1 minute.  Stir in flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing until just absorbed after each addition.  Stir in chocolate chips and almonds (dough will be thick).  Turn dough out onto ungreased rimmed baking sheet.  Using hands, press dough into 12-inch square. Pierce all over with fork at 1-inch intervals.  Bake until edges are lightly browned and beginning to crisp, 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool on sheet 1 minute.  Cut into 48 bars.  Immediately transfer to rack, cool (bars will crisp as they cool).  Can be made 5 days ahead.  Store in airtight container at room temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Love cures people - both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it."  ~ Dr. Karl Menninger

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One year ago today:  Dixon's Famous Lemon Cream Cheese Pie