Gourmet chicken

A couple days ago I made Sloppy Joes using this recipe. I must say, they were scrumptious! The only change I made to the recipe was using red bell peppers instead of green, which don't agree with my tummy.

Anyway, after browning the meat I was left with about a cup of drippings (a combination of meat juice and fat).

I hate to let anything go to waste.

But really, I hate trying to figure out how to dispose of drippings. Pouring it into the trash is kind of messy and gross. Pouring it down the drain is asking for trouble of the expensive plumber variety. Pouring it onto the compost pile is asking for trouble of the destructive raccoon variety.

On these cold winter days, I often make porridge for the hens. Stop laughing! Today I used the drippings plus a bit of water, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, and stirred in some leftover mashed potatoes that had been in the fridge for a few days/weeks.

Okay, yes, the porridge did smell good as I mixed it up, but I didn't taste it. I may be a good "hen mother" but I draw the line at sampling their food.

The recipe

I searched again on the Bon Appetit website for the killer chocolate layer cake recipe, but alas, I think it may be too old to have been put online. Thinking back, I've been making this outrageously delicious cake four times a year for at least fourteen years. Yeah, that's a lot of chocolate cake. I have the curves to show for it, too, hehe.

So, because I'm such a stellar individual, I typed out the recipe. Enjoy!

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

with Cocoa Frosting (Bon Appetit, late 1990's)

3 cups flour 2 cups cold water

2 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil

½ cup cocoa powder 1 tablespoon vanilla

2 teaspoon baking soda 1 ½ cups chocolate chips

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. Sift dry ingredients together into medium bowl. Combine water, oil and vanilla in large bowl. Whisk in dry ingredients. Divide batter between pans. Sprinkle ½ cup chocolate chips over batter in each pan. Bake 25 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on racks for 15 minutes. Turn cakes out of pans and cool completely.

Frosting:

½ cup butter, room temperature

5 cups icing sugar

8 tablespoons (approx) cold milk

1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup cocoa powder

Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in 3 cups sugar. Beat in 6 tablespoons milk, and vanilla. Add cocoa and remaining sugar. Beat until well blended, thinning with milk if necessary.

To assemble:

Place one cake layer, chip side up, on platter. Spread with approx. 2/3 cup frosting. Repeat with second layer and another 2/3 cup of frosting. Top with remaining layer, chip side down. Frost sides and top of cake.

I have a hankering

for cake. Perhaps it has something to do with the weather - dark and drizzly. Now my quandary is, what flavour of cake should I bake?

My tried and true "birthday" cake is a triple layer chocolate extravaganza with cocoa frosting. It's almost too rich.

Almost.

I got the recipe from Bon Appetit years ago, and it's been the requested cake ever since. Unfortunately, it's not anyone's birthday today. Well, not anyone that I know well enough to bake a cake for. (I searched online for the recipe and can't find it. I'll type it up and post later. This picture is not it, but doesn't it look yummy?)

A simpler chocolate cake is a recipe that's been in my family on my mother's side for decades, and it's named after Great Aunt Hilda Young, from Paradise, NS. I usually bake it in a bundt pan and cover with vanilla frosting. The recipe is one of the type that uses boiling water in the batter.

I recently was given a recipe for a Triple Vanilla cake, that uses vanilla beans, vanilla sugar and vanilla extract. The cake is divine, light and buttery, and the vanilla flavour is intense without being overpowering. I'm not sure I have the energy today for messing with vanilla beans though.

Looking at the clock, I've about run out of time to bake a cake and have it cool enough to frost in time for supper. I'll sleep on the question and decide tomorrow. Ha! I can almost guarantee I'll be making Great Aunt Hilda's chocolate cake.

It's a good thing there are a few brownies left for tonight's dessert. I used a mix, but substituted melted butter for the oil. Butter is a fabulous invention and I use it in all my baking. Because I'm worth it.

Even more cookies

Shortbread cookies are as necessary to Christmas celebrations as a decorated tree, in my humble opinion. I make these every year, as does my mom, as did her mom. Simple, easy, a delicate, vanilla flavoured cookie that's a cinch to roll out and cut in shapes.

Here's the recipe:

Shortbread Cookies

1 cup (two sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cornstarch and salt, and stir into butter mixture until well blended. Roll dough to approx. 1/8 inch thick (err on the side of thicker), cut in shapes and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes (no colour on edges). Transfer to rack and cool.

These cookies are perfect with a nice hot cup of tea. Or a glass of cold milk. Or a splash of sherry or port. Ooh, the hint of nutmeg in eggnog is a lovely accompaniment to the vanilla in the cookies. And if you put a splash of brandy in the eggnog, you're golden.

Here's hoping that whatever tradition you celebrate, you find joy, peace and love.

Pecan Pie

I visited the family folk this past weekend for an early Christmas celebration. My sister-in-law requested I make a certain pie for after the big turkey feast. This is evidently a very special pie, since it's been about five years since I made it and S-I-L remembered how good it was and wanted MORE. The pie did not disappoint. Rave reviews. So I made another yesterday. The recipe is at the end of this post.

The other reason for the trip north was to fetch the college boy. He is home safe and sound for Christmas. Huzzah!

Pecan Pie with Kahlua & Chocolate Chips (Bon Appetit magazine)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 T. flour

3/4 c. dark corn syrup

1/4 c. Kahlua or other coffee liqueur

1 t. vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 c. chopped pecans

1/2 c. chocolate chips

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 F. Beat sugar and butter until smooth, beat in flour. Gradually beat in corn syrup, then Kahlua and vanilla. Mix in eggs, then chopped pecans. Sprinkle chocolate chips over bottom of crust. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie until filling is puffed around edges and just set in center, covering edge of crust with foil if browning too quickly, about 45 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Breakfast

I'm declaring that fruitcake is a good breakfast food. First of all, eating fruitcake makes me feel good and puts a smile on my face. How can that be bad for me?

Secondly, fruitcake is loaded with fruit. Mostly raisins and currants. There must be tons of antioxidants in each bite. To say nothing of all that vitamin C preventing scurvy. Scurvy is a nasty affliction.

Thirdly, and lastly, there are nuts in fruitcake. Nuts are a good source of protein. Protein keeps my muscles strong, so I can lift the fruitcake. It's like the circle of life.

Party time

I hosted the Maine RWA holiday party on Saturday. Dang, we are a bunch of good cooks. Casseroles, salads, nibbly bits, desserts, and chocolates.

I ate far too much but I had to try a bit of everything. It was my duty as the hostess. Much like I need to taste-test the dough when I'm baking cookies.

We did a Yankee gift exchange, and even though my first gift was ripped from my hands *giggle*, I came away with a lovely collection of writerly bits and bobs.

The highlight of the afternoon, in my opinion, was the company. We chatted and laughed, and shared the joys and tribulations of being writers.