Friday, July 31, 2009

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins





Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed banana (usually 2 lg)
1 large egg
1/4 lb butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Mix dry ingriedients together.
2. Mix wet ingriedients together.
3. Stir banana mixture gently into the dry ingriedients till just moist.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Divide into 12 lined muffin cups and bake at 350°F about 30 minutes.

12 Muffins

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Pickled Eggs





2 jars pickled beets
1 dozen medium sized hard boiled eggs
6 -8 whole cloves
1 onion sliced*

In a large bowl pour jars of pickled beets over peeled hard boiled eggs, sliced onion and whole cloves. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

*parboil the onion (whole) for 7-10 minutes to soften slightly before slicing, if desired.

Monday, July 06, 2009

Chocolate Mousse-ee Mousse



I just returned from spending a glorious month in South Africa this past week. On Sunday my Daughter came over and like many Sundays we run to the grocery store in search of something fun to make to eat later in the day. We just had breakfast so neither of us were very hungry, so finding something was more of a challenge this time... we decided on marinaded chicken, simple tossed salad, baby red potatoes and some sweet corn. For dessert my daughter kept saying she thought something like mousse would be nice, something like a chocolate mousse or a cake with mousse or anything mousse-ee mousse-ee..... ha! That's what she said, really : ) We found a real nice Chocolate at Sprouts grocery store called "Chocolate Block French Vanilla". Now neither of us have ever made homemade mousse so this was going to be a first. Guess what? It turned out divine! It was super easy too. Here it is:

8 ounces semi sweet or french vanilla
chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons butter
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups whipping cream,
whipped


In a microwave melt chocolate, 1/4 cup water and butter until the chocolate and butter are melted. Cool for 10 minutes.
In a small heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and remaining water.
Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F.
Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate mixture. Set saucepan in ice and stir until cooled, about 5-10 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into dessert dishes. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.