Culinary Goods

I am a sucker for chocolate and mint, so I give this a 9.5. Normal people would probably rate it less. Anyway, here is what I do: You make a chocolate cake and cut it into cubes, then layer it with peppermint chocolate pie filling and whipped cream. So good. Chocolate Cake for 9x13 pan ¾ cup cocoa I use dutch processed 1 ½ cups boiling water 2 cups flour + 1 Tbs. ¼ + 1/8 tsp. baking powder I just do 1/2 tsp. 1 ½ tsp. baking soda 1 ¼ cups sugar I cut this down by about 2 Tbs. ¼ + 1/8 tsp. salt I just do 1/2 tsp. 1 ½ tsp. vanilla   ¾ cup butter ( I do 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup olive oil) 3 eggs Combine cocoa with boiling water, cool completely. Sift flour with baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In mixer, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light (about 5 minutes). Beat in flour mixture (in fourths) alternately with cocoa (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour. Do not overbeat. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes; until top springs back when gentl...

These were okay, but I think I cut down the sugar a bit too much. They were much easier than my normal peanut butter bars, but not nearly as good. A few people really liked them, but I think they were just fine. They get a 6, and the recipe came form halfbakedharvest.com. 1 1/2   sticks (3/4 cup)  salted butter 3/4   cup  creamy peanut butter 1   cup   light brown sugar I used 1/2 inch cup 1/2   cup   granulated sugar 2   eggs 1   tablespoon   vanilla extract 2   cups   all-purpose flour 1   teaspoon   baking powder 1   cup   semi sweet chocolate chips 2-3   ounces   milk chocolate chunks I used about 1/3 C. chocolate chips instead  flaky sea salt I left this out Here's the link:   https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/salted-milk-chocolate-and-peanut-butter-blondies/

This is a good sweet bread, and it’s a cross between muffins, brownies, and cakes. It has an intense chocolate flavor. This probably gets an 8. The recipe came from a book called “Baked Explorations” by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. Double-Chocolate Loaf with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Spread 3/4 cup brown sugar I cut this in half 1 cup cocoa, sifted 1 1/2 cups flour 3/4 cup sugar I cut this in half 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 2 large eggs 1 egg yolk 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup vegtable oil I used canola 1 tsp. vanilla 8 oz. dark chocolate chopped I cut this in half Cream cheese 5 oz. cream cheese, softened 2 Tbs. creamy peanut butter 1/3 cup sugar I use powdered sugar So, you combine the dry ingredients, add the wet ingredients, and beat. This is a thick batter. Stir in the dark chocolate chunks by hand. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Bake at 350 for about 1 hour. I would put some tinfoil on the top because mine got too done, an...

I love pumpkin pie, so was super excited for these, but the texture made these completely awful for me. It was mix between the custard-y texture of pumpkin pie and the cake texture of cupcakes, so it was just a gross combination. I also didn't make the sweetened whipped cream and just used my regular whipped cream. The recipe came from melskitchencafe.com and they get a 4. CUPCAKE BATTER: 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) 1/2 cup (3.75 ounces) granulated sugar I used 1/3 C. 1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) lightly packed brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream I used half and half  1/4 cup milk (1% or above) 2/3 cup (3.5 ounces) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (see note for substitution) I used the substitution  1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM: 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream 2-3 tablespoons powder...

Jared made this the other night and I really enjoyed it. The only thing this needs is some type of smoked sausage and it would be perfect. But for vegetarians, this is still a good soup. The recipe came from melskitchencafe.com and gets a 7. 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped yellow or white onion 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press 1/2 cup diced carrots (about 2 medium carrots) 1/2 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks) 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1 teaspoon salt 1 pound Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (I do not peel but you can if you want) He didn't peel them 1 cup red lentils, sorted and rinsed (see note) 1 cup brown lentils, sorted and rinsed (see note) He didn't use these 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth 8 to 10 ounces kale or spinach, chopped (optional but delicious) He used spinach Here's the link to the instructions:  https://www.melskitchencafe.com/smoky-le...

Even when I was a kid, I couldn't stand most Mormon cooking because it was almost completely flavorless. I appreciate quality, flavorful meals that require some thought, and Mormon cooking always seemed like quantity always trumped quantity since parents are trying to feed a lot of kids in a hurry. This is a meal from my childhood that reminds me of Mormon cooking but I like well enough that I have hung onto it into adulthood. It has pretty good flavor, and is low carb, which is always a plus. I made this a ton when I was a gestational diabetic, but make it now about once a year. I have no idea where my mom originally got this. 1 lb. ground beef 1/2 C. white or brown rice (uncooked) 1/4 C. onion dash of pepper 1 tsp. salt. Sauce: 1 can tomato soup (I don't like most canned soups, so I just mix 1 can of tomato sauce with 1 TBS corn starch) 2 C. water 2 TBS worcestershire sauce Cook rice and mix in with raw meat, onion, salt and pepper. Roll into balls (I use my ...

So this is my go-to recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. There may be a better version out there, but I like this one well enough that I don't care to look. I think I got this recipe from Melly about 12 years ago. 2  C. flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 heaping tsp. cloves 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 C. brown sugar 1/3 C. white sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. baking powder 2 heaping tsp. cinnamon 1/2 heaping tsp. nutmeg 1/4 C. butter, softened 1/4 C. olive oil 1 heaping C. canned pumpkin 2 eggs 1 1/2 C. chocolate chips Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter. sugar, egg, vanilla and pumpkin together. Add dry ingredients. Bake at 350 for 11 minutes.

So, this is a classic, but super good. I made this up—you’re welcome. I would give this an 8. Essentially, you saute the following in a few Tbs. of butter or oil: 1 onion 4 cloves garlic 2 cups carrots, diced 1 cup-ish celery, diced 1 potato, diced small optional 1-2 tsp. poultry seasoning salt and pepper When this is about 75% cooked, you add: 2-3 cups green beans, snapped in small pieces A few minutes later, add 4 Tbs. of flour, stir Pour in: 1 cup milk 1 cup gravy Boil. Add: 2 cups turkey, cubed 2 cups corn 2 cups peas You put this in a pie crust you have rolled out and put into a 12 inch cast iron skillet. Spoon the filling in, then I put pulsed leftover stuffing bread crumbs on top. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 400 for about 45 minutes

This is one of the favorite recipes from my childhood, and I would give these a 9. I think the original recipe came from my Grandma Peterson. This is the original recipe, but I have noted my changes in bold. Orange Rolls 2 Tbs. yeast 1/2 cup sugar I cut this in half and I can’t tell a difference 1/2 cup butter I use 50% olive oil 4 1/2 cup flour 3 beaten eggs 2 tsp. salt Filling: 1 cube butter 1 cup powdered sugar 3 Tbs. orange rind (do not pack) Dissolve yeast in ¼ cup warm water and 1 Tbs. sugar. Then pour 1 cup hot water (I use 50% milk) over sugar, butter. Add eggs and salt. Chill overnight. Then roll out in rectangle and spread filling over dough. Roll up and cut with dental floss or string. Let raise double and bake at 425 for 8-12 minutes. My directions are different. I put flour in the bottom of the Bosch, and then add the sugar and salt. I then add the wet ingredients, and for the 1 cup hot water I do 50% milk. I melt the butter in the microwave and just use ...

This is a classic recipe from my Dad, and it’s the best I’ve had. It’s still super sweet and rich, but it’s so very good. I would give this a 9. Here is the original with my changes in bold. Pecan Pie 4 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2/3 cup sugar 1 cup pecans (crush with rolling pin) I use way  more than this 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup light corn syrup 1/3 cup butter Combine ingredients then pour into uncooked pie shell. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes and at 350 for 35 (45 at least) minutes. Don’t under bake and make sure oven is preheated thorough. Cook until the crust is brown.

This is the best version I have ever had. I used my Dad’s recipe as a base, but I have tweaked it by removing a can of tomatoes and this version is better because it is more flavorful. I give this a 9. In a food processor, pulse: 1/4 onion you can use green onions if you like it more mild 4 cloves garlic handful cilantro 1 jalapeno (seeds and ribbing removed) Then, add: 1 can of diced tomatoes, drained (14.5 oz. size) 1 tsp. salt pepper to taste juice of 1 lime juice of 1/2 lemon (or more if you like lemon a ton)

This is a classic recipe from my Dad, and it’s the best I’ve had. It’s so very good. I would give this a 9. Here is the original with my changes in bold. Pumpkin Pie 2 large eggs Sometimes I add an extra egg yolk 3/4 cup sugar I only use 2/3 1- 1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. cloves ½ tsp. ginger ¼ tsp. nutmeg, generous I put mine through a sieve 1 can evaporated milk ½ can pumpkin (1 ¾ cups) Mix all ingredients. Makes 1 pie. Don’t poke holes in crust, bake at 425 for 8 minutes, then dump in filling. Bake an additional 15 minutes, then change temperature to 350 and bake for 45 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

I think this version is my favorite so far—I give it an 8. So, you take about 25 apples, add 1 tsp. kosher salt, and then put 2-4 Tbs. of lemon juice in the bottom and then a few Tbs. of apple cider. You steam them down, then puree with a stick blender. Add 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp. cloves, and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and a dash of ginger. Add 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar. You simmer this until it’s really thick.

This was so very underwhelming. It’s beautiful, and I think it tastes fine, but I would never take this over a layer cake, or a tart, or a piece of pie. I don’t actually know that I would make this again. John liked it, but I would give it a 7. My main complaint is that buttercream should not be a layer. Mousse can be a layer. Jam can be a layer. Not buttercream. I often scrape the outside buttercream off a piece of cake because it’s not worth the sugar. I would totally go for a coffee mousse over a coffee buttercream. Anyway, enough of my complaints. I didn’t change anything on these recipes except that I basically just substituted coffee for the water in both the buttercream ad the simply syrup. It turned out fine. The glaze recipe is a winner. I would absolutely use that again. The recipes came from my awesome friend Rebecca. Opera Cake Jaconde (cake part) 170 ml eggs (about 3) 120 g powdered sugar 120 g ground almonds (just grind them in food processor or blendtec. make...

My friend Lisa shared these with me, and they are great. They are like a truffle consistency, hence the name. I would give these an 8. The notes on here come from her dad, Dave. Chocolate Truffle Cookies By Posie Harwood Adapted by David Erickson Makes about 15 cookies 1 ½ cups bittersweet chocolate chips (or chopped bittersweet chocolate), about 60% cacao 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I use salted with no discernable bad effect) 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder (optional, for enhanced chocolate flavor) 3 tablespoons flaky sea salt, or course kosher salt Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl set over boiling water. Beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Stream in warm chocolate. Combine dry ingredients and add to batter. Put a generous tablespoon of batter on a pan and sprinkle with flaky seal salt. Bake for about 7 or 8 minutes at 350. Once they lo...

So I have made orange chocolate chip cookies before, but wanted to make some changes since, even though the ones I made before were good, they had a lot of sugar (2 cups) and flour (3 1/4 C.) in them. I combined a few recipes for this, and really liked these. 1/2 C. sugar 1/2 C. brown sugar 1 cube butter 1/2 C. oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 2 1/4 C. flour 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. orange extract 1 TBS orange zest 1 1/2 C. chocolate chips I creamed the butter, sugar and oil together for about 3 minutes and then added the eggs, vanilla, orange extract, and orange zest. I then added the dry ingredients and added the chocolate chips last. I baked them at 350 for about 9 1/2 minutes.

I've looked for a coconut thai soup recipe for 6 months. This is the best one I've found. The base is made of lentils (orange) and sweet potatoes. It's heart, filling, and can have a spicy kick if you want. The first time I made it I used green lentils so the soup came out looking like cat shit. A sad day, indeed.  I give this a 7. I would pair it with any other Thai side dish like a meat or veggie stir fry. The recipe came from a Thai cooking book called Pok Pok. Pok Pok is a Portland restaurant with authentic stuff made by a white dude. He wrote the recipe book and it's considered some of the best Thai food in the PNW. Here's his restaurant: https://pokpokpdx.com/ Ingredients ·       1 Tbs olive oil ·       1 diced onion ·       3   garlic cloves, sliced ·       1 Tbs. galangal (white on the inside), peeled and diced or 1 Tbs. ginger, peeled and diced - you c...