Best Brownies Ever

Ok, I normally make brownies the cheater way, i. e. grab a box off the shelf at the grocery store, add water, and bake.  However, when I saw this recipe, how few ingredients it required, and how easy it was, I knew I could do it!  And, I am certainly glad I did!  Wow, these blew the box brownies out of the water!  I will never (or rarely) make box mix brownies again!  (Oh, and I did include a delicious frosting recipe below that I used on them.)

 

 

Best Brownies Ever

 

Recipe from www.http://iowagirleats.com/recipes/?recipe_id=6017970

 

3/4 cup melted butter

4 squares un-sweetened baking chocolate (see note below)

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

 

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 if using a glass pan).

 

Combine melted butter and chocolate squares in a large glass bowl.  Microwave for 2 minutes or until chocolate is melted, stirring every 30 seconds.

 

Add sugar into the bowl and mix well. Add eggs and vanilla then mix well. Add flour and mix until just combined.

 

Pour batter into a 9x13" buttered baking dish and bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

 

Allow to cool before frosting. 

 

For best results, cut into large squares and eat in large quantities!  :) 

 

Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe

3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

 

Melt butter.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Spread evenly over brownies.  Lick bowl and spoon well! 

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

Mmmmm, why go out to eat at a restaurant when we can have delicious meals like this at home?  This turned out amazing.  I got the recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, www.fortheloveofcooking.net.  I highly recommend checking out her blog if you have time.  Her recipes always turn out delicious!  This meal was amazing and quite easy to do.  We will definitely be making this one again.  We served it with a caprese salad on the side.  Yummy!

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

6 chicken breasts
1 c. basil pesto
2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
pinch salt
tomatoes, sliced
sliced havarti cheese
sesame buns
mayonaise (optional)
extra basil pesto (optional)

Instructions:

Place chicken breasts in a large freezer bag and seal.  Pound with a kitchen mallet (or in my case because I don't have one, I use my rolling pin) until thin.  Add the pesto to your bag and marinate for 4-6 hours. 

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions and a little bit of salt and saute for about 15 minutes or until carmelized. 

Heat a grill to medium high heat. Remove chicken breasts from the bag and grill for about 4 minutes per side or until cooked through.  Add a slice of havarti to each chicken breast and continue cooking an additional 30 seconds until cheese starts to melt. 

Toast buns (spread a bit of olive oil or butter on the buns if you are planning on toasting them on the grill to prevent burning).  On each bun, place on chicken breast, some onions, and a slice of tomato.  If you like, also spread some mayonaise and extra pesto on the bun.  We used mayo but not pesto and it was delicious! 

Husband Rating: 9 out of 10

Food for Thought: This would be easy to have in the freezer ahead of time.  Simply pound the chicken and then add the pesto and freeze.  If you wanted to make this meal in the winter when the grill wasn't available, I would use a grilling pan on the stove or try baking the chicken as I am sure it would turn out delicious that way too.  It was definitely a delicious meal we plan to make again and often!

Harvest Quinoa Chicken Soup

Well, my little guys have come down with Fall colds and whenever they get sick, I get motivated to make warm, healthy meals chock full of vitamins to get them back on the healthy track.  I found a recipe that I modified based on what I had around the house and came up with a yummy, healthy, warm-you-to-the-middle soup!  I could almost see the germs running from our house as we ate this for dinner! :)

Harvest Quinoa Chicken Soup

Recipe adapted from www.iowagirleats.com

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

salt & pepper

4 cups torn kale

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 cups chicken broth

1 can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp. fresh Italian parsley

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 rotisserie chicken, cleaned of bones and skin and shredded

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes (2 cups)

2 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into 1/2" cubes

2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrot, and onion, season with salt and pepper, then saute until tender, about 7-10 minutes. Add kale and garlic, season with more salt and pepper, then saute for 2 more minutes. Add 8 cups chicken broth, white beans, parsley, dried thyme, bay leaf, and then bring to a boil.

 

Add sweet potato, russet potato, and quinoa to boiling broth. Place a lid on top, lower heat to medium, then cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and quinoa is cooked. 

 

Add shredded chicken to the soup, remove bay leaf, then add Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt & pepper if necessary.

 

Serve topped with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 

Tip: Use additional chicken broth when reheating soup, as quinoa will absorb much of the broth as it cools.

 

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Apparently I am on a hot sandwich kick.  My little sister, who is living with us right now, made the comment that she hadn't thought of sandwiches for dinner before.  But, after the last few meals we've had she has begun to rethink that. 

This hot sandwich recipe comes from my friend Katie who is another great cook and does a lot of similar style cooking as mine.  I loved the recipe before I even got to cook it.  It has all the makings of a great meal - mozzarella, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, basil, roasted red peppers... Yum!  Put it all together and you have a delicious, warm sandwich that makes a great meal. 

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Sandwich

1 loaf ciabatta bread
2 chicken breast
salt/pepper
garlic powder (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
2-3 Tbsp. sun-dried tomato paste
2-3 Tbsp. basil pesto
fresh mozzarella
handful fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

In a skillet, heat olive oil.  Season chicken breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your taste preferences.  Cook them over medium high heat until no longer pink in the middle, approximately 4-6 minutes per side.  Set aside.

Cut ciabatta loaf in half the long way. 

Combine tomato paste and pesto in a bowl.  Use more or less of each depending on your taste preferences.  Spread it on one side of the bread. On the other side of the bread, lay the roasted red peppers in a single layer.  Brush olive oil onto the bread in the spaces between the red peppers so the bread doesn't burn.

Slice the chicken thinly or shred.  Lay chicken on top of pesto spread.  Add fresh mozzarella to the top of the chicken.  Bake sandwich open in the oven at 375 for 10 - 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and sandwich is hot. 

Remove from oven.  Add basil leaves and put the two halves of the sandwich together.  Slice, serve, enjoy!

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10 (Which is incredibly high because my husband does not like sun dried tomatoes!)

Food for Thought: I did see in the store a sun dried tomato pesto already mixed up if you want to skip one step.  However, by mixing it up yourself, you can favor your flavor preferences.  Mine is definitely more heavy on the basil pesto side, especially because my husband doesn't like the sun dried tomatoes.  Either one works just fine!

Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage

Love the recipes I am getting from this blog, www.iowagirleats.com.  This one was delicious too!  It's a take on lasagna using a white sauce and spicy sausage that was simply delicious!  It was lighter than traditional lasagna making it more appetizing during the warm fall weather we've been having.  The hot Italian sausage was a bit spicy for the boys so I might use something a little milder next time but I sure loved it!  Yum!

 

Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage

Recipe adapted from www.iowagirleats.com

1 pkg. oven ready lasagna noodles
extra virgin olive oil
1 pkg. hot turkey Italian sausage (could use sweet - I might next time for the boys' sake)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
salt & pepper
5-6 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
3/4 cup torn fresh basil
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Squeeze sausage out of its casing and cook while breaking up until no longer pink. Remove to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt butter, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour, then whisk to combine and cook for 30 more seconds.

Slowly pour in chicken broth a few tablespoons at a time, whisking to break up any lumps. Continue pouring and whisking until mixture is smooth. Pour in milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt & pepper.  Continue stirring until thick and bubbly, about 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into the bottom, then spread evenly with a spatula. Layer 1/3 of the lasagna noodles.  Then top with 1/3 of the tomatoes, 1/4 cup torn basil, 1/3 of the cooked turkey sausage, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Repeat 2 more times, for a total of three layers.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Husband Rating: I don't think we got one for this meal but I will ask him next time because there will definitely be a next time for this meal!

Food for Thought: I think that adding some chopped spinach would be really a nice addition to this dish.  I am going to try that as well as turning down the heat on the Italian sausage for next time.  Enjoy!

You could also do this for the freezer, cooking it all up and before baking it cover it well and stick it in the freezer.  Allow to thaw in the fridge and then cook up according to instructions. 

Julie's Super Sandwich

When I was in high school, I loved eating at my friend Ellen's house.  Not that my mom couldn't whip up a mean meatloaf or stir fry, but it seemed like I always got to try these unique gourmet meals at Ellen's house that her mom would come up with.  And the Super Sandwich (not sure if that is what she called it, but it's what I call it) is one of her such meals. 

And, now, it seems that I inevitably end up texting or emailing Ellen every few months asking her what her mom used to put on that great hot sandwich she used to make so that we can make it for a meal.  So, I am finally putting the recipe into print so I can make it for myself.  Thank you, Julie, for your great meals and cooking inspiration! 

(And, the picture just doesn't capture the truly yummy-ness of this meal.  Believe me!!!  I will try to get a better one next time!)

 

Julie's Super Sandwich

1 loaf focaccia bread (I couldn't find any so used a crusty garlic bread this time instead)
provolone cheese
red onion, thinly sliced
roast beef
large slice pepperoni
tomatoes, thinly sliced
Italian dressing
lettuce, optional

Slice focaccia loaf in half.  Spread 1-2 Tbsp. Italian dressing on each side of the bread.  Layer cheese, beef, pepperoni, onions, and tomatoes on the bread in the order of your choosing. 

Bake sandwich open faced in the oven at 375 degrees until hot and cheese is melting.

Remove from the oven and add lettuce if you desire.  Put the two halves of the sandwich together.  Slice and serve.  Yum! 

Husband Rating: 6 out of 10

Food for Thought: This is a great one for parties.  We have served this for one of our son's birthday parties, making up 2 or 3 of them ahead of time and baking them when the guests arrived and served with fruit, chips, side salad, etc.  It's a delicious hot sandwich and a nice easy way to serve a large crowd.

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup

Even though today ended up being a lovely day and not all that cool, I am still in fall mode and in the mood for Fall-ish foods.  It doesn't help that I have family over in Italy right now on vacation.  It makes me want to eat all kinds of Italian style food... So, thought I would give this recipe a try!  The result, a delicious, healthy soup!  I loved it!  And so did the rest of the family, even the kids.  We served it with some yummy garlic bread on the side.

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup
Recipe adapted from www.iowagirleats.com (Love her recipes!)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
5 large carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
salt/pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 kielbassa, sliced
6 c. chicken broth
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
2x2 parmesan cheese rind
1 bay leaf
6 cups chopped baby kale (see note)
2 Tbsp. shredded parmesan plus more for garnish

*Baby kale is more tender.  If using regular kale, be sure to remove tough stems before chopping

Instructions:

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds before adding kielbassa.  Cook for another 3 minutes.

Add chicken broth, beans, cheese rind, and bay leaf.  Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.  Add in kale and cover with a lid.  Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Stir in shredded parmesan cheese, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Remove bay leave (parmesan rind can stay in as it will continue to flavor leftovers) and serve with additional parmesan cheese on top if desired.  Serve with crusty bread on the side.  Enjoy!

Husband Rating: 8 out of 10

Food for Thought: If you want to do this for the freezer, I would suggest cooking it all the way, cooling it, and then freezing.  I have not tried it but it seems like it should work.