Butternut Squash Pasta

Butternut Squash Pasta

From While the Pasta Cooks.

1 lb penne
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and shredded (I usually use more)
1/2 c pine nuts, toasted (I use closer to a cup)
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c freshly grated Parmesan
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook the pasta. Five minutes before the pasta will finish cooking, add the squash and stir briefly.

Drain the pasta and squash and toss them with the olive oil, garlic, cheese, salt, pepper, and pine nuts in a serving bowl.

Turtle Brownies

Caramel
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/4 cups sugar (8 3/4 ounces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brownies
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate , chopped
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs , room temperature
1 cup sugar (7 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans (about 2 3/4 ounces)
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Garnish
25 pecan halves (about 1 1/2 ounces), toasted

1. TO MAKE THE CARAMEL: Combine cream and salt in small bowl; stir well to dissolve salt. Combine water, corn syrup, and in saucepan. Cover and bring to boil over medium-high heat; cook, covered and without stirring, until sugar is completely dissolved and liquid is clear, 3 to 5 -minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, without stirring, until bubbles show faint golden color, 3 to 5 minutes more. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook (swirling occasionally) until caramel is light amber and registers about 360 degrees on candy or instant-read thermometer, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Remove saucepan from heat and carefully add cream to center of pan; stir with whisk or spatula (mixture will bubble and steam vigorously) until cream is fully incorporated and bubbling subsides. Stir in butter and vanilla until combined; transfer caramel to microwaveable measuring cup or bowl and set aside.

2. TO MAKE THE BROWNIES: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray 9-inch-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut 14-inch length extra-wide heavy-duty foil; fold cut edges back to form 8 1/2-inch width. With folded sides face down, fit foil securely into bottom and up sides of baking pan, allowing excess to overhang pan sides. Spray foil with cooking spray.

3. Melt butter and chocolates in microwave for two minutes or until the butter is melted. Stir until smooth and combined; set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, whisk together flour and baking powder in small bowl; set aside. When chocolate has cooled slightly, add sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla and whisk until incorporated. Add flour mixture; stir with rubber spatula until almost combined. Add chopped pecans and chocolate chips (if using); mix until incorporated and no flour streaks remain.

4. Distribute half of brownie batter in prepared baking pan, spreading in even layer. Drizzle scant 1/4 cup caramel over batter. Drop remaining batter in large mounds over caramel layer; spread evenly and into corners of pan with rubber spatula. Drizzle additional scant 1/4 cup caramel over top. Using tip of butter knife, swirl caramel and batter. Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool brownies in pan on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Heat remaining caramel (you should have about 3/4 cup) in microwave until warm and pourable but still thick (do not boil), 45 to 60 seconds, stirring once or twice; pour caramel over brownies. Using spatula, spread caramel to cover surface. Refrigerate brownies, uncovered, at least 2 hours.

6. Using foil extensions, lift brownies from baking pan, loosening sides with paring knife, if needed. Peel away and discard foil. Using chef’s knife, cut brownies into 25 evenly sized squares. Press a pecan half onto surface of each brownie. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Turtle Brownies

These are as good as they look, if not better.

Caramel
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/4 cups sugar (8 3/4 ounces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brownies
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate , chopped (I like Ghirardelli, chips are fine.)
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 3/4 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs , room temperature
1 cup sugar (7 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans (about 2 3/4 ounces)
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Garnish
25 pecan halves (about 1 1/2 ounces), toasted

1. TO MAKE THE CARAMEL: Combine cream and salt in small bowl; stir well to dissolve salt. Combine water, corn syrup, and sugar in saucepan. Cover and bring to boil over medium-high heat; cook, covered and without stirring, until sugar is completely dissolved and liquid is clear, 3 to 5 -minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, without stirring, until bubbles show faint golden color, 3 to 5 minutes more. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook (swirling occasionally) until caramel is light amber and registers about 360 degrees on candy or instant-read thermometer, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Remove saucepan from heat and carefully add cream to center of pan; stir with whisk or spatula (mixture will bubble and steam vigorously) until cream is fully incorporated and bubbling subsides. Stir in butter and vanilla until combined; transfer caramel to microwaveable measuring cup or bowl and set aside.

2. TO MAKE THE BROWNIES: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with nonstick foil, extending up two sides. Spray foil with cooking spray.

3. Melt butter and chocolates in microwave for two minutes or until the butter is melted. Stir until smooth and combined; set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, whisk together flour and baking powder in small bowl; set aside. When chocolate has cooled slightly, add sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla and whisk until incorporated. Add flour mixture; stir with rubber spatula until almost combined. Add chopped pecans and chocolate chips (if using); mix until incorporated and no flour streaks remain.

4. Distribute half of brownie batter in prepared baking pan, spreading in even layer. Drizzle scant 1/4 cup caramel over batter. Drop remaining batter in large mounds over caramel layer; spread evenly and into corners of pan with rubber spatula. Drizzle additional scant 1/4 cup caramel over top. Using tip of butter knife, swirl caramel and batter. Bake brownies until toothpick inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached (be aware that you may hit a pocket of caramel, making it appear that the brownies are underbaked), 35 to 40 minutes. Cool brownies in pan on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Heat remaining caramel (you should have about 3/4 cup) in microwave until warm and pourable but still thick (do not boil), 45 to 60 seconds, stirring once or twice; pour caramel over brownies. Using spatula, spread caramel to cover surface. Refrigerate brownies, uncovered, at least 2 hours.

6. Using foil extensions, lift brownies from baking pan, loosening sides with paring knife, if needed. Peel away and discard foil. Using chef’s knife, cut brownies into 25 evenly sized squares. Press a pecan half onto surface of each brownie. Serve at room temperature.

Mission: Play Doh Cookies

Play Dough Cookie Dough

A friend used to make these in her preschool class, but couldn’t find the recipe. I hit the ‘net and came up with this:

PLAY-DOH COOKIES

2/3 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 2/3 cup flour
Food Color – red, yellow, blue, green

Blend butter and sugar. Add almond and flour. Mixture will be course crumbs. Separate into globs…for each color being used. Add food color as desired. The liquid in the color will be just enough to form the dough. Don’t get anxious and add more liquid or the children will not be able to use as play-doh.

Play-dough cookie batter is great for kids to mold and cut as desired. The creations can then be baked and eaten. Bake at 300′ for 20-25 minutes. Edges will be firm, bottoms not brown.

I tweaked it to use a single stick of butter, and paste food coloring:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
Paste Food Color – red, yellow, blue, green

I used two toothpicks of food color for each glob of dough except red which took 8 and still isn’t *quite* as red as I’d like but I had limited patience and this is a trial run anyway.

So far, so good! The dough is currently parked in the fridge awaiting shaping and baking at a later date.

I also found this recipe but I don’t think it’s as promising. Did want to save it JIC.

Lemon Scones

Lemon Scones

http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/snughollow_pa_recipe1.html

Pictured are drop scones on the left and patted out and cut scones on the right. While the triangles are more traditional the texture is much better on the drop scones.

350°

1 1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel (1 lemon)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled butter, cut into pieces
9 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
extra cream for brushing on top
sanding sugar

Mix flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, lemon peel, baking powder, baking soda and salt in processor. Add butter, cutting in with on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Put mixture into bowl. Add 8 tablespoons cream and lemon juice, blend until soft moist dough forms. Drop dough by 1/4 cupsful onto heavy baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon cream. Sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Bake until lightly colored, about 15-25 minutes.

This recipe doubles easily. I use a disher, either 1/4 c 2 T. I think I can taste the aluminum in the baking powder, I usually got al-free but picked this up accidentally. I’ll update when I remember to try again.

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