Mr. Lesley Cooks

A Sure Fire Headache Cure

 

 

Poor Lesley had a headache this morning.  Maybe it was the homemade chicken and dumplings she was forced to eat for breakfast.   Instead of calling the rescue squad, I fixed the following home remedy.  I recommend this for many ailments.

 

 

Individual Hot Chocolate

 

Put in a 12-oz mug:

 

1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa

2 tablespoons sugar or Splenda

 

Add enough vanilla extract to make a paste, around a tablespoon or two.  Non-alcohol imitation vanilla extract works well here. Stir until smooth with no lumps. 

 

Add 2% milk (since this is the health version) to fill the cup 2/3 full. 

 

Heat in a microwave on high for a minute or two until hot, but do not boil.

 

Take the cup out of the microwave and fill it with heavy whipping cream.

 

Heat for another minute or so.  Stir and serve with:

 

 

 

 

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

 

 

1 3/4 cups (8.75 oz) all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup (100 g) powdered sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 Tb (4.5 oz) dark brown sugar, firmly packed

6 Tbs (3 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup (190 g) creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsps vanilla

1 large egg

1 1/3 cups (8 oz) milk chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and two sugars. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

 

Add the peanut butter to the butter and sugar mixture and beat to combine. Slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil, the vanilla, then the egg. Mix until fully combined. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, pausing to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

 

Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the milk chocolate chips into the batter until evenly distributed. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes until the tops are lightly golden but cookies are still soft in the middle. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.   Makes 3 dozen cookies.

 

 

This probably would have been more effective had not Lesley gone to the bathroom and Lucy finished her hot cocoa while she was gone.

 

The big question is, should I fix these cookies for the folks at “Art Is You” coming up this week?

 

Tom

 

A Blissful Experience

Here we are at Art Bliss in Northern VA, where Lesley is teaching.  I took her on a fun ride to Baltimore to pick up Adele last night.  They are both still trying to recover from the Beltway and I-95.  I brought some cookies with us.  One of the recipes is below.  I thought I had already posted it, but here it is.

 

 Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients. Add to butter mixture and stir until well blended. Add dried cranberries. Drop by teaspoonful onto parchment covered baking sheet. Bake about 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool.

Enjoy!! 

Tom

It's Great To Be This Elderly

Years ago, one of my next door neighbors decided he wanted a divorce.  He claimed his then-wife had "robbed him of his youth".

Well, mine's gone too.  I don't know who took it, I'm just glad it's been taken from me.  It took me a long time to be this saintly...or at least this happy. 

Looking back on things, I believe the main trouble with my first two marriages is that I was in them.  I don't know what I did to deserve Lesley, but I'm glad she took me off the market.  It wasn't much of a market anyway.  There weren't even any window shoppers.

I'm grateful to be able to take care of my mom, too.  Some days I am more grateful than others, but it's nice to be able to fix her breakfast and lunch and take care of her personal needs every day.  I really enjoy how the three of us have dinner together.

Whatever else is in store for me, I am delighted that, at least in this lifetime, I don't ever have to be a teenager again.

Some of our family were in town and came by to visit my mom.  I think she enjoyed them.  Since they were here she has had a lot of pain in her hip.  I guess it's true what that say about families being a pain sometimes.  I fixed some ginger crinkles for them.  I forgot to put the molasses in the first batch, so I covered this up by saying there were two versions of the cookie to see which they liked best.  Everyone pretended to believe me.  I thought the cookies were really dry, but the dogs assured me in the strongest terms that they were really tasty.

I'm looking for some more recipes for cookies/brownies/cupcakes to take to Art and Soul in Hampton next month.  Maybe this one would be good.

CHEWY PECAN DIAMONDS

Crust
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Topping
1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups coarsely chopped pecans (about 14 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, leaving 1-inch overhang on all sides. Butter foil. Blend flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in processor. Add butter and process until mixture begins to clump together. Press dough evenly onto bottom of foil-lined pan. Bake crust until set and light golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand while preparing topping. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Topping: Stir brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils; boil 1 minute. Add pecans and cream; boil until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pour hot topping over warm crust.
Bake nut-topped crust until caramel is darker and bubbles thickly, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to rack. Cool completely in pan (topping will harden).
Lift foil out of pan onto cutting board. Using heavy sharp knife, cut crust with nut topping into 1 1/2x1-inch diamonds. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.)  Makes 32.

Tom

We Have Been Invaded

Now here's a great topic for a cooking blog:  STINK BUGS

I have finally had it with them.  They came to visit last fall, and with warmer temperatures, they have reproduced and come out in full force.

All the articles I have read indicate that it is really hard to get rid of them.  Here are two things I have tried:


1.  I yell at them.  This works about as well as anything else, and I feel better after wards.



2.  I make and eat the following recipe.  After a few of these, who cares about stink bugs?

Pralines

2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups pecan halves
preparation

Have ready 4 oiled large baking sheets. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan combine the sugars, the cream, the salt, and the cream of tartar, cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring and washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the side with a brush dipped in cold water, until the sugar is dissolved, and boil it over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until a candy thermometer registers 238°F. Remove the pan from the heat, let the mixture cool until the candy thermometer registers 220°F., and stir in the butter and the vanilla. Beat in a mixer on low for about 10 minutes, or until it is creamy.  Stir in the pecan halves. Working quickly, drop the mixture by tablespoon onto the parchment lined baking sheets and let the pralines cool. Remove the pralines carefully and store them, wrapped individually in wax paper, in airtight container in a cool place. The pralines keep for 2 weeks.


Makes about 36 pralines


Tom

Banned From Baking

Virginia does not have privately owned liquor stores.  Instead, we have stores operated by the Alcohol Beverage Control Board, a government unit.  Back in the old days, there used to be a sign in the ABC stores that stated who could not purchase alcohol.  Among the list was a category of those who were "interdicted".  I was never quite sure what interdicted was, but I do understand "cut off". 

I don't go into the ABC stores anymore.  I have, however,  been cut off where Lesley works.  Her boss told me, "That's it!  No more!"   You see, I have been experimenting this week with recipes for cupcakes and brownies that I plan to take with us to Art Opera in New Jersey next week and using Lesley's co-workers as my testers. It seems that my baking has been too good, and they are unable to resist the sweet temptations. 

I'm sure that sometime in the past I followed instructions, but not too often.   I reckon I'll give them a break today and then hit them with something good on Friday.  Maybe they should plan on having the doors widened.

Here is the recipe that prompted the dessert prohibition.

Chewy Brownies

For the chewiest texture, it is important to let the brownies cool thoroughly before cutting. If your baking dish is glass, cool the brownies 10 minutes, then remove them promptly from the pan (otherwise, the superior heat retention of glass can lead to overbaking).   Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.  Fat chance on that!!

1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso (optional)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2     cups (17 1/2 ounces) sugar
1-3/4     cups (8 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
6 ounces bittersweet or milk chocolate chips, whichever you prefer

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.   Make a foil sling using the following steps: Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhang pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and fit into width of pan in the same manner, perpendicular to the first sheet (if using extra-wide foil, fold second sheet lengthwise to 12-inch width). Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
 
Whisk cocoa, espresso powder (if using), and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1-1/2 hours.

Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Makes twenty-four 2-inch brownies


Tom

More Than Just Snow

It's true, we have had a lot of snow lately.  The big news, however, has been my mom's fall.  A couple of weeks ago, she tripped in her bedroom and fell on her knee...the one with the joint replacement.  So we called 911, and some nice fellers came and checked out the balloon that used to be her knee.  We ended up taking her to immediate care.  Nothing was broken, thankfully. 

The folks at the hospital gave us some instructions: 

• Keep the leg elevated
• Put ice on the knee for 20 minutes three times a day
• Make her use her walker instead of the cane she much prefers
• Wrap her knee with an ace bandage while she was awake

My mother didn't remember or agree with any of these and said we were "making them up" and demanded I showed her the WRITTEN instructions we got.  After reading them carefully, she said,  "OK,  Now I believe you."  When I asked why I would lie about something like that she just replied,  "I don't know either; that's just the way you are."

Unfortunately, the swelling in the knee has not gone down a lot, so we went to the orthopedic surgeon yesterday who says she has to have ice every hour she is awake for 20 minutes.  That's right:  20 minutes with ice, 40 minutes without and repeat throughout the day.  Besides this, there are some special hose along with more ace bandages.  She is NOT happy, but so far is going along with everything.

All this icy togetherness has given us more time to talk.  Here are some of her recent stories.

• When she was 6 or so, her family moved out "to the country" where there was no electricity.  She remembers how hard the kerosene lanterns were to clean.
• The bed sheets would always wear out in the middle, so her mother would cut them in half down the worn-out middle and then sew the two former edges together to make a sheet they could still use, it just had a seam down the middle of it.  But that was OK, since it marked a boundary for her and Aunt Inez as to where each one's side of the bed ended.
• Aunt Evelyn was the only one of the 7 kids who knew what she wanted to be when she grew up:  a nurse.  All the others just wanted to go out and make some money. Mom was the oldest girl and was able to help Aunt Evelyn pay for nursing school.
• When the twins, who were the youngest, were born, one of the other children said they can't be twins, one is a boy and the other is a girl.  My mother said she didn't even know her mom was pregnant.  
• Her allowance was a nickel a week.  All the kids would go through the Sears catalog to see what they could get if they saved their money.  There was no nearby store, so saving was easy.

Milk Chocolate Pralines

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces milk chocolate morsels
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, corn syrup, vinegar and salt.  Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly.  Boil 3 minutes without stirring.  Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.  Add chocolate morsels; stir quickly until melted.  Stir in pecans. Quickly drop by measuring tablespoonfuls onto foil-lined cookie sheets (work as rapidly as possible as mixture tends to set up quickly).  Garnish with pecan halves if desired.  Refrigerate until set (about 20 minutes).  Peel candies off to serve.  Store in refrigerator. Makes 4 dozen 2-inch candies.

Tom

Finally

After blizzards, house guests, dinner parties, Christmas, colds, bad backs from setting up Lesley's new studio all by myself and nursing Lesley through the flu, I have recovered enough to post again.

Through it all, I suffered in silence as usual.  Men never complain, you know.

We are hoping for some warm weather here so that some of the 18 inches or so of snow that fell before Christmas will melt.  I had two plans for clearing off the drive.  Plan A was to hire someone else to do it.  Fortunately, Lesley found someone, so I did not have to go to Plan B,  the main feature of which involved letting the sun melt the snow.

While all this was going on, I did manage to develop and steal some new recipes that I will be posting over the next few days.  Here is a new version of an old cookie recipe.

Oatmeal Raisin Currant Almond Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup dark brown sugar – firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 cup dark or golden raisins
1/2 cup dried currants

Heat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl beat the butter and sugars together until creamy.  Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extracts and beat well until fluffy.  Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.  Form into rounded balls with a tablespoon and drop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.  When done, cool on the cookie sheet for three minute then remove to a wire rack to cool.



Lesley thought this was pretty good.

Tom

No More Sickies

Thank goodness Lesley and Mom are not as sick as they were.  Lesley went back to work yesterday and my mother is as feisty as ever.  I am not saying they were not ideal patients, but when I called Lesley's boss to tell him she would not be at work Monday morning, I asked him if instead of Lesley staying home, could I send both her and my mom in to him.  He declined.

All this reminded me of the old saying, "Two sickies do not make a wellie."

To honor this festive occasion I made cookies.

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

2-2/3 cups (390 grams or 13-1/3 oz) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned style or freshly ground)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, peanut butter and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Beat in both sugars. Scrape down sides of bowl. Stir half of dry ingredients into mixture. Add eggs 1 at a time, stirring well after each addition. Mix in remaining dry ingredients.

For each cookie, roll 1 heaping tablespoonful of dough into 1-3/4-inch-diameter ball. Arrange dough balls 2 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using back of fork, flatten dough balls and form crosshatch design on tops. Bake cookies until dry on top and golden brown on bottom, about 14 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)

Makes about 4 dozen

My Poor, Afflicted Hands

Yes...it's true.  I am the victim of a sort of skin disorder:  dry, chapped hands.  This condition first manifested itself 15 or so years ago.  I began to notice that my fingertips became sensitive.  Then it spread down my fingers and my whole hands were rough and dry.  What could it be?  I went to my doctor, but he just said I had dry hands.  Since it was winter at the time, he suggested some lotion.  It gradually went away. 

I finally figured out what had happened, so I know what I need to do.  I was between wives when this first occurred, and I was living a deprived life without a dishwasher.  The dishwashing liquid I used was Dawn, which works great on dishes, but not as well on hands.  You must have figured out by now the name of this dread disease:  Dishpan Hands.

Lesley got a great deal on Dawn and bought a couple of gigantic containers for me to use in the sink.  I am going to bite the bullet, not complain, and use hand lotion.  That's what real men do.

Pecan-Pie Bars

8 ounces pecans (about 2 cups)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
hot shortbread base

 
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a food processor coarsely chop pecans. In a heavy saucepan melt butter and stir in brown sugar, honey, and cream. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, 1 minute and stir in pecans. Pour pecan mixture over hot shortbread and spread evenly. Bake in middle of oven until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars. Bar cookies keep, covered, 5 days at room temperature.

Makes 24 bars.

Tom

A Sort Of Contest

Before we get to the competition, let me tell you all a story.  When my mom was 12 years old, her dad woke her up with the news that her mom had cut her hand slicing ham and that my mother would have to make biscuits that morning.  She said that she made them every morning from then on.  Here is the rolling pin she used.





I wonder if I should contact the Smithsonian.  I'm sure they would be delighted to have this. After all, it belonged to my mother and grandmother.  And since I am a very talented, amazing, former boy wonder accordion player who was on the Lawrence Welk Show (so my grandma told all her friends), I am certain that anything belonging to my family would have a special place of honor.  Did I mention how modest and humble I am...no ego you know.

Now for the contest.  When cleaning up recently, Lesley came across a picture taken on her 16th birthday.  There she is, holding her cake, with that horrified look clearly showing how delighted she is that her parents are making her smile so she can show off her braces.  It seems like the thing to do is to ask folks to post comments to this blog telling us their ideas of the best ways to give this photo the national or even world-wide exposure it deserves.  It appears to me that the winner should receive something special.  Of course the prize would have to include putting his or her idea into action, but also maybe even a copy of the photo itself show go to the person with the best entry.

Now there is no need to let Lesley know about our little plan.  First of all, she loves surprises, especially ones like this.  And I know just how thrilled she would be for everyone to see this photo.  Let's just astonish her with the our plan once it is put into place.  Yeah...astonish...that's the perfect word.  I'm sure she would have a big reaction to it.

Turtle Brownies

For brownie layer
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
For caramel-pecan layer
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups pecans (6 oz)

Garnish: 4 oz. melted semisweet chocolate Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch square metal baking pan, knocking out excess flour.

Make brownie layer:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
Melt chocolates and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm, then stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until mixture is glossy and smooth. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined.
Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack.
Make caramel-pecan layer:
Bring sugar, corn syrup, water, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil, without stirring, until mixture turns a golden caramel color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and carefully add cream and vanilla (mixture will bubble and steam). Stir in pecans and immediately pour over brownie layer, spreading evenly. Cool completely in pan on rack.

Prepare garnish:

Spoon chocolate into a small sealable plastic bag and seal, forcing out excess air. Squeeze chocolate into 1 corner, then cut a tiny slice off corner to form a small hole. Squeeze chocolate decoratively over brownies. Or just drizzle over top.  Another option is to mix just a little hot water with the chocolate so that it pours easier and drizzle it out of the pan over the brownies.
Chill brownies, loosely covered, until caramel and chocolate are firm, at least 4 hours.
Just before serving, cut chilled brownies into 64 (1-inch) squares and remove from pan while still cold, then bring to room temperature.
Makes 64.  Brownies keep, uncut in pan and chilled, covered (or cut and layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container), 2 weeks.


Tom