Big O Brownies

No really, if you stay with me there will be Barb's Orgasmic Brownie Recipe. I will tell you why later. For now lets talk about chicken feet. I bought these so that I could make chicken stock.



It was week 2 of the Bitter experiment and I needed to move on to step 2 of the process. Goober and Gretchen have been a bit incognito these past days. You know how newlyweds are.



So the stock it was a simmering.



and a simmering. Wait, what accent am I using? I am suppose to be channeling my Grandma and she wouldn't have said "a simmering and a simmering". She wouldn't have called it stock either. She would have called it Chicken Soup and she would have left it at that.



So here is the stove with all 6 burners going. That doesn't happen very often. Oh wait. It was only 5. I lied.



I had leftover pork from the Balantine we made and I didn't want it to go to waste so I made Pork Rillettes. This was an all day process. Very easy if you happen to have a pig in your freezer but it does take most the day simmering and a simmering.



It also had some of our homemade bacon in it as well.



Yum! Come on over and you can have some. Really. I will make you take home a pig nose though.



You see, I bought 60 pig noses for the "Charcutepalooza Pig Roast" Since there were only 10 people that showed up (ACKNOWLEDGMENT: I know it wasn't your fault because of the stupid Hurricane) I have 50 pig noses left. Give or take a few that I pawned off on people.



Oh yeah, lots of lard too.

Ok, so you want the Big O Brownie recipe? It is a recipe that has been all over and back. It is my friend Barb Schaller's recipe. She is the Jam queen of Minnesotie (still with the accent?)

I have made these brownies before and they are really good. I didn't make them for this post so I don't really have a picture (other than free clip art that I didn't steal). I am posting this recipe because it seems that meat meat meat isn't really making the masses happy. O brownies will though.

Barb Schaller's Orgasmic Brownies

Recipe By: Barb Schaller
Serving Size: 24
Preparation Time: 0:45
Categories: Bars

1 cup unsalted butter (8 oz)
4 ozs unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups granulated sugar (15 oz)
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (walnuts or pecans)
1 1/3 cups cake flour (6 oz)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In microwave oven, on medium-high power, melt butter and chocolate in 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, about 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. Mix in granulated sugar, then beat in eggs, one at a time, with wire whisk. Mix in vanilla and almond. Stir in nuts. Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt and fold into chocolate. Spread batter in 9x13" pan lined with baking parchment and bake in preheated oven at 350°F for about 33-35 minutes. Do not overbake; toothpick may have fudgy crumbs on it, but not wet batter.

Notes from Barb: First Place, Plain Brownies, 1997 Minnesota State Fair. Adapted from recipe in Cook's Illustrated magazine, March/April 1994. Please note that I do use real chocolate, unsalted butter and cake flour. If you do not, don't complain to me about it. And I don't believe the nutritional analysis at the bottom of this page!


Um, let me know if you want the Rillette recipe. I will send it to you.

Hank Shaw Dinner and a Diagram

When I saw that Hank Shaw was coming into town I could barely contain my excitement. Then I saw that it was happening at a time we couldn't make it. Then I saw that he was also coming to Rhode Island to Farmstead and Laiterie. Afterall, a dinner made by Farmstead 's Matthew Jennings and New Rivers, Beau Vestal could not be missed. Especially if it were Hank Shaw inspired. I grabbed reservations for Dr. Foods birthday. I can't tell you how happy I am that I did.

I need to tell you that it is my policy that when I go to dinner I don't take pictures. A) My pictures never do the food justice and I don't wanna hurt the chef's feelings and B) I don't want to fiddle around while my food gets cold and I am not just enjoying it in the moment. Ok, so I am lazy. You have stuck with me this far. No use turning back now. So, I will describe the course and then draw you a picture. Ok?

So, let me paint the first picture for you. We get to Farmstead and walk into the room. Right off I see Hank Shaw. I also see a table of wild mushrooms. Before I know it I am eating appetizers that thrill me and sipping on Elderberry Spritzer. This is what the stuff looked like:



Amazing. I have to say that my favorite was the waffle with the mushroom. Wait, I also loved the clam. The spritzer tasted fantastic. We continued to learn about the mushrooms and schmooze. Hank signed books (which Dr. Food told me to bring mine and I didn't and I should have) and chatted with all of us.

Time for dinner!



First course was "Pasture and Knoll". It was Connecticut Pheasant Terrine and Rhode Island Rabbit Mousseline. It was served with spicy ale mustard, Concord grapes, and American Chestnut bread. I have to say that they were a notch above certain Charcuterie that I may have tasted in the past few weeks. No, I will not divulge any names but it may be someone that I know VERY well...




Course II was amazing as well. "Coast and Shoreline" It was Wild Spiced Swordfish Belly with rosehip puree, smoked ham and Sea lettuce dashi, and periwinkles and sea beans.

I don't know how to say this so you can see me swoon. The periwinkles were something new to me and now they go on my list of new obsessions. Right up there with the Geoduck. They look like snail but taste like clam. They were hard to pick out of the shell but I would have smashed that shell to get to the morsel. Oh wait, I did. I wanted to steal the little fork thingys that were given to get the perwinkle out of the shell. It was a silver pig pick. No, picture and I couldn't draw it but WAIT! I stole a shell to show you. See what I risk to share with you all? I could have gotten in trouble from Hank or the chefs for this.



Ooops, a little blurry. Ok shut up. It was a wine pairing and I may have had some wine. This shell is now proudly displayed in my kitchen next to Goober and Gretchen.



Main Course. Woodlands and Forest! Pan Roasted Guinea Hen with hen of the wood, wild rice, pickled autumn berry and ramp bulb, and egg yolk and horseradish powder. It was all so good that I am running out of adjectives.



And last but not least there was dessert "Sweet and Savory". I had the Peppergrass Ice Cream with warm, salted sassafras caramel and Biscotti. Dr. Food had the Selection of Three New England Farmhouse Cheeses with spicebush berry and candied nuts. I might have stolen most of the spicebush berry from him because it was one of the most unusual but pleasant tastes. It was new to me. Obsession #2 of the dinner. Uh oh. If you see someone in your backyard looking through your weeds, just ignore the short woman rooting around. She is harmless.

Booze and Birthdays... and some recipes too!

I haven't been cooking much lately. We were in California for a week and spending time with Annie, Tim and Parker. So I present to you stream of consciousness. Uh oh.



Why am I showing you a picture of Everclear? Because Dr. Food brought it back to me from New Jersey. Of course you can't get it in New England. As you know New England is a bit backwards when it comes to booze. I needed this Everclear to start the bitters we are making.



One of the bitters is made with Coriander and Keffir lime leaves. The base is Everclear. Other stuff also goes in it. I will give the recipe at the end of this post.



I am going to call this one "Swamp Bitters". I may get rich off of it. Or not...



Second Bitter is made with a base of high proof Bourbon. I also used orange rind and figs.





Most importantly we went to visit Annie and Tim and Parker for Parker's birthday. Ohmygod how I love this kid. Oh Annie, I love you too but you already know that.



I can't tell you how much I loved just watching Parker do everyday stuff. He is eating an Avocado here.



He is eating squash here. He is a good vegetable eater.

Ok, enough... I will get on with it. Annie made all the stuff for Parker's birthday and it all was awesome.

There were hats and chocolate mustaches.



I baked some apples for what was going to be Caramel Apple Cupcakes.



Annie did an incredible job making all the decorations. I don't know how she did it all along with taking care of Parker and work.



I got to play with my little squiggy LOTS!



Check out these cupcakes that look like popcorn. They reallllly looked like popcorn.



Caramel Apple Cupcakes



Here is a timeline of Parker every month for a year



Back to food... Pulled Pork Mini Sliders were made.



Parker got the first taste of cake.



The little guy led us all in a round of "If you're Happy and You Know it Clap Your Hands"



He then sang "New York, New York" while riding the lion that Grammy and Gramps gave him.



He negotiated with his mommy for a snowcone.



He was a real trooper and didn't disappoint his appreciative audience. I love him so much.





Ok, here are your damn recipes.

Keffir Lime Bitters
Adapted from www.make-martinis-at-home.com

Allow four weeks to prepare this bitters recipe.

4oz Dried Orange Peel, Chopped Very Fine
4 oz Keffir Lime Leaves, Chopped Very Fine
1 Teaspoon Cardamom Seeds (taken out of their pods)
1/2 Teaspoon Caraway Seeds
1 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds
1 Teaspoon Quassia Chips
1/2 Teaspoon Powdered Cinchona Bark
1/4 Teaspoon Gentian
2 Cups Grain Alcohol
4 1/2 Cups Water, Divided Into 1/2 Cup, 3 1/2 Cups, and 1/2 Cup
1 Cup Granulated Sugar

Place the peel, cardamom seeds, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, quassia, cinchona bark, gentian, grain alcohol, and 1/2 cup water into a half-gallon mason jar and push the ingredients down so that they are covered by the alcohol and water. Seal the jar.

Shake the jar vigorously once a day for fourteen days.

Strain the alcohol from the dry ingredients through a cheesecloth. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth to form a pouch and squeese tightly to extract as much alcohol as possible. Place the dry ingredients in a strong bowl or mortar; reserve the alcohol in a clean mason jar and seal tightly.

Muddle the dry ingredients with a pestle or strong spoon until the seeds are broken.

Place the dry ingredients in a nonreactive saucepan and cover with 3 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat, cover, turn the heat down, and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, still covered (about 1 hour).

Return the dry ingredients and water to the original mason jar that contained the alcohol, seal, and leave for seven days, shaking vigorously once a day.

Strain the water from the dry ingredients through a cheesecloth. Discard the dry ingredients and add the water to the alcohol.

Put sugar in a small nonstick saucepan and place over a medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar becomes liquid and turns dark brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool for two minutes.

Pour the sugar into the alcohol-and-water mixture. At this point the sugar may solidify, but it will quickly dissolve.

Allow the mixture to stand for seven days. Skim off any bits that float to the surface and carefully decant the clear liquid to separate it from any sediment resting on the bottom.

Measure the bitters; thee should be about 12 fluid ounces. Add 6 ounces of water, and shake thoroughly. Pour the bitters into a bitters bottle. Store for up to twelve months.



Figgy-Orange Bitters
Contributed by Brad Thomas Parsons to Food and Wine

2 cups overproof bourbon (such as Wild Turkey 101)
1 cup dried figs (about 6 ounces), halved
8 green cardamom pods, crushed
4 cloves
2 fresh figs, halved
Strips of zest from 3 oranges
1 tablespoon cinchona bark
1/2 teaspoon gentian root
1/4 cup dried orange peel
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean, split
2 tablespoons rich syrup (see Note)

1. In a 1-quart glass jar, combine all of the ingredients except the syrup. Cover and shake well. Let stand in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks, shaking the jar daily.

2.Strain the infused alcohol into a clean 1-quart glass jar through a cheesecloth-lined funnel. Squeeze any infused alcohol from the cheesecloth into the jar; reserve the solids. Strain the infused alcohol again through new cheesecloth into another clean jar to remove any remaining sediment. Cover the jar and set aside for 1 week.

Meanwhile, transfer the solids to a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes; let cool completely. Pour the liquid and solids into a clean 1-quart glass jar. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 week, shaking the jar once daily.

Strain the water mixture through a cheesecloth-lined funnel set over a clean 1-quart glass jar; discard the solids. If necessary, strain again to remove any remaining sediment. Add the infused alcohol and the syrup. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 3 days. Pour the bitters through a cheesecloth-lined funnel or strainer and transfer to glass dasher bottles. Cover and keep in a cool, dark place.

MAKE AHEAD The bitters can be stored at room temperature indefinitely. For best flavor, use within 1 year. NOTES To make simple syrup, in a small saucepan, dissolve 1 cup of granulated sugar in 1 cup of water over moderate heat; for rich syrup, use 2 cups demerara or turbinado sugar and 1 cup of water. Let cool before using, and reserve the rest for another use.


Carmel Apple Cupcakes
Adapted from http://cupcakeblog.com

9 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven

2-3 apples, granny smith
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup apple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Rinse and core the apples. Place them on an ovenproof pan or baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until soft.
2. Remove the apples from the oven, let cool slightly, then remove peel and mush the apple with the back of a fork. Measure out 1 cup of apple mush and set aside to cool.
3. Combine flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Crack the eggs into a separate, medium sized bowl and beat with a form to break up. Add the oil, apple juice, vanilla, and cooled apple mush and mix to combine.
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until all ingredients come together.
6. Scoop into cupcake papers about 3/4 full so cupcakes will have a significant dome. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Thick Caramel

1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
6 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Bring the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk to a boil over medium-high heat stirring to combine.
2. With a wooden spoon, stir all ingredients together and then slowly add the heavy cream.
3. Continue to stir for about 20 minutes until the caramel reached 248 degrees. It is important to continuously stir the mixture and to allow it to reach temperature.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Transfer to a bowl and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes allowing the caramel to cool slightly.

Final Assembly
1. Using a small offset spatula, frost each cupcake with the caramel.
2. If desired sprinkle warm caramel with any number of toppings, like coconut or crushed nuts.
3. Transfer the cupcake into the freezer to allow the caramel to set without dripping over the edge of the cupcake paper.
4. Continue frosting and topping the cupcakes and try to work fast. As the caramel cools, it becomes less spreadable. If possible work in pairs and let your helper top the cupcakes and transfer them to the freezer. By the time you reach the last few cupcakes, you will not longer need to freeze them and you can take all the cupcakes out and transfer them to the counter.
5. Top off each cupcake with a popsicle or craft stick to finish off the look.


For the Popcorn Cupcakes go on over to Duhlicious's site. It gives all you need to make these.

Steak and Stilton Pies and other stuff

Boy did I make a lot of stuff this weekend. Fall is in the air. It is beautiful and cool outside. Trees are just starting to change and apple cider and cider doughnuts are at all the farms. I couldn't help but get into the mood of cooking fallish type of stuff. I saw this Steak and Stilton Pie recipe in Saveur Magazine and knew I had to make it.



It takes time but nothing about it is difficult. It was nice smelling it cooking most the day.



At the same time I was boiling Apple Cider that we got at the farm. I was making Apple Cider Molasses. I got the recipe from Foodie with Family so you can mosey over there if you want the recipe.



The stove was working overtime. I also was making bitters for fun but that is a whole other post.



So back to the Steak and Stilton pie. There were vegetables.



There was beer. Some for the dish and some for Big Mama Janis.



Mushroom and stout taste good together. No really.



Ah how I love the Stilton. It isn't too Blue Cheesy. It is just right.



We didn't have 6" pie tins so used dol sot bi bim bap bowls and only made 2 instead of 4.



I gotta say that these really were good. Go ahead and make them on a cold Fall day.



Who are these children and why did I put them on a Steak and Stilton Pie post? Welllll, these are my 2 kids and my two nephews. This was when they were little. We took the same picture when they were much bigger.



Why am I sharing this? I don't know. Could be that I am just insane. Yeah, that is it. Old and insane. Insane and old.

Um. Ok, now that I confused you... Check out this video of my favorite baby in the entire world. His name is Parker and I am his Grammy.





Steak and Stilton Pie
Saveur Magazine - October 2011

Printable Version

1/4 C olive oil
1 1/4 lb beef chuck, cut into 1" cubes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large yellow onions, sliced
2 ribs celery, thickly sliced
2 small carrots, thickly sliced
2 tbsp minced rosemary
1 12 oz bottle stout beer
1/4 C flour
2 C beef stock
2 tsp. mustard powder
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp unsalted butter
10 oz mushrooms, quartered
6 oz English Stilton, crumbled
1 10 oz package frozen peas
1 14 oz package puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten


1. Heat oil in an 8 qt saucepan over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, 10-12 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Add garlic onions, celery, carrots, and rosemary to pan; cook until soft, 10-12 minutes. Add beer; cook until almost dry, 18-20 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, until smooth. Return beef to pan along with stock, mustard, and bay leaf; bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, coverd partially, until beef is barely tender, about 1 1/2 hours; set aside. Heat butter in a 10" skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring, until browned all over, about 8 minutes; stir into beef mixture along with cheese and peas.

2. Heat over to 375 F. Divide beef mixture among four 6" pie tins (12 oz. each). Roll pastry into a 14: square; cut out four 6" circles. Brush tin edges with egg; place 1 circle over each; press to seal. Cut slits into pastry; brush with egg. Bake until browned, about 40 minutes.