Ah, chocolate fudge pie...:sigh:  It's rich, chocolatey deliciousness, and Jessie inevitably asks for the recipe around this time of year so I thought I would go ahead and post and share (that, and Jori asked for it too ;oP).

This is a pie whose recipe doesn't call for a crust.  However, I like crust with my pie, so I'll use either a regular pie crust or a graham cracker crust (and as I was feeling lazy today, graham it was).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• pinch salt
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

Directions for Chocolate Pie
Melt butter and chocolate in double boiler; beat in sugar. Fold in flour and salt. Add vanilla. Beat eggs; fold into chocolate mixture with pecans. Turn into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes. Center of the chocolate pie should still be moist when done.


This pie is incredibly fudgy and is wonderful when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. :o)


Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!


--Rach

Every family has their favorite recipes.  Every family has their favorite made up recipes.  As I posted on my blog yesterday, one of our family favorites is Lissie's tuna casserole. 

Family lore has it Liss was desperately trying to come up with a well-balanced, yet quick and easy meal one night and was limited to the ingredients she had on hand (life is not always easy for a single mom with two little ones only 20 months apart in age).  This was the end result.  :o)

Ingredients:
4 small cans tuna, drained
2 cans Cream of ________ soup (Liss uses celery, we use mushroom and cheddar)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
10 oz frozen peas
1 soup can of milk (I know, I know, sounds weird, but we use the can so we can get the dregs of the soup out)
1/2 cup mayo
1 bag egg noodles
Colby cheese to taste


Directions:
While you boil water for the noodles, sautee the onion until just soft--this allows them to cook fully when baking.   When noodles are cooked and onions are just soft, mix everything together and pour into a greased casserole dish.  Top with shredded cheese and bake at 375 for 45 minutes. 

(Mom, Jess, this is right, right? I didn't forget anything?)

Simple, inelegant, delicious. :o)

--Rach

Yes, yes, I know, I know, I owe you two more batches of daylilies.  But, I got distracted! As most of you are aware, summer is not my most favorite season.  I loathe the heat and humidity, the soaking in sweat the minute you walk outside, the mosquitoes, the blistering heat of the seats in the car...I could go on and on. 

However, I've been trying to embrace the heat and misery and simply enjoy the moment and being in it.  It's been a struggle, but I'm working on it.  ;o) We went out for ice cream tonight and I didn't even think about the fact it was so hot the ice cream was dripping faster than we could lick it.  I swear!  Everyone around me was mentioning it, but I was simply enjoying my ice cream. :oP

I was thinking of my extreme dislike of summer and decided to try to find things to enjoy about summer, and lo and behold, I came upon Michael Franti & Spearhead and their song "Say Hey (I Love You)". 


Holy smokes is it catchy and pop-y and so summery.  Then, I found "The Sound of Sunshine".


Again, another summery fun and bubbly song.  I'm sure I'm so late to the game with these guys, but when I find something fun, I have to share. :o) 

And, speaking of summer, tomorrow is July Fourth.  We're having a family picnic with Nana and Pop and I was put in charge of dessert.  Have I mentioned it's hot here?  I mean, really really HOT? No?  Well, it is.  Trust me. :oP  Sooooo, I wanted a light, cool, refreshing dessert and immediately went to Lemonade Cake.  Here's the recipe:

1 box yellow or lemon cake mix (since I'm a citrus junkie, I go for the lemon)
1 box instant lemon pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup veggie oil
1 small can lemonade (I typically use a regular size can)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (I double it--see above)

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine the first five ingredients.  Pour in greased 9"x13" pan and bake for 45 minutes or until done.

Mix lemonade and sugar and microwave for one minute. Pour over cake while hot.  (I typically poke some holes in the cake before pouring on the lemonade, and don't use all of it when I use the regular can.) Serve chilled. 

I cannot express how quick and easy this cake is, nor how delightfully refreshing on a hot day. :o)

Enjoy your summer! I would LOOOOVE it if you would share your quintessential summer songs and recipes as I'm trying to do my best to make the most of this most miserable time of year. ;o)

--Rach

You asked so you shall receive. :o) Grandma used to make at least one batch of these cookies a week for her boys.  Wow!

Ingredients:
1 cup coffee
3 t baking soda
1 cup shortening
1 cup molasses
3 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
3 t ginger
2 t vanilla
1 t salt
flour to texture (anywhere from 9-11 cups usually--it took 9.5 cups for me yesterday)


Directions:
Dissolve baking soda in coffee and cool.  Mix all ingredients with mixer except flour.  Add flour slowly and mix in.  Roll to 3/8" and cut.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.  Do no overbake! Store in tin can.


Rach's tips/tricks:
*Go ahead and give adding the flour by mixer a go.  If you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, it should be up to the challenge. 
*I mixed in the last 2.5 cups of flour by hand, kneading the flour into the dough.  You want the dough to be rather like a soft Play Doh that doesn't stick to your hands.
*Flour the work surface before rolling.  It doesn't matter how many times you rework the dough, or how much flour gets worked in, these cookies will still be tender.  Like I have said, this is the most forgiving cookie dough EVER.
*Begin timing the cookies for 8 minutes and then test.  To test, lightly touch a cookie.  Continue to bake for additional time, one minute at a time as needed.  To test, lightly touch a cookie, if it leaves an indentation, they're not ready.  The trick is to NOT overbake them as they will then be dry.  This was the hardest part.

I think that's it.  If you have any questions, I'd love to help if I can.  My email is rachael(dot)davis(at)cox(dot)net.

--Rach

Brien's Granny was born and raised in south Luzianna and grew up cooking Cajun goodness. She brought these recipes to Brien and his family when she would come to visit. Her style of cooking involved LOTS of garlic, "pepper" (cayenne!), and sea food. Mm.

She had moved to Williamsburg prior to her death, and even though she could no longer see, I can remember her standing in the kitchen with Brien, imparting her knowledge and wisdom of cooking all things yummy. I'm not sure what triggered it, but recently, B has had a hankering for seafood gumbo. He took himself into the kitchen and went about replicating Granny's recipes--for of course, nothing was written down, it was all in her head.

Well, we think this recipe is now ready to share:

Granny's Gumbo

Ingredients:
1 cup bell pepper
1 cup celery
1 cup onion
1 cup carrots
6-8 cloves garlic
1/2 cup flour
1 stick butter
chicken stock
2 pounds meat of your choice
1/8-1/2 t ground red pepper (depends on how spicy you like it!)
salt to taste


Prep:
1 cup onion
1 cup celery
1 cup carrots
1 cup bell pepper
(I typically chop it fairly fine so it will cook quickly)
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced or put through a garlic press

In a large Dutch oven over medium-low to medium heat, melt a stick of butter (please, NO margarine!!). When the butter has melted, gradually add in a 1/2 cup of all purpose flour. You MUST stir this constantly. It will become hot hot hot and quite sticky and has been referred to as Cajun Napalm, so be sure you don't splash any on yourself.

You will keep stirring the flour/butter mixture until it is about the color of peanut butter. Then, add the onion and garlic. After about a minute, add the remaining veggies. Cook these until they are well softened and the onion is clear, about 10 minutes or so.

Add a carton of chicken broth/stock (or, make your own), and stir until slightly thickened. Add your meat (in this case, 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined, 1 pound scallops with the small muscle removed from the side--although, this evening we made it with chicken and smoked sausage), and cook until meat is heated through or thoroughly cooked.

Add the seasonings and serve over rice.

Enjoy!

--Rach

I'm continuously counting my blessings, giving thanks that I'm surrounded by such loving and caring people. From my family to my friends and coworkers, I have an amazing support group. My lovely friend, Scottie, set up a food delivery schedule for me for the first two weeks after Ellie's birth. We've had some wonderful dishes come in--eggplant parmigiana, pork tenderloin, flank steak with fried rice, the most amazing salads and more. Oh I've eaten well. Most of the folks who brought dinner also brought desserts with them including my friend Patti, who brought a delightful, low-fat caramel apple dip. The recipe is amazingly simple and utterly delicious.

Caramel Dip with Apples

1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened (you may use low-fat or regular)
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. (or more) chopped walnuts

Combine first 3 ingredients with a hand mixer until well-blended and creamy. Stir in chopped walnuts.

Serve with sliced Granny Smith apples... only Granny Smiths will do... it's important to have the tartness of the apple to complement the sweetness of the dip.

This recipe can easily be doubled (or tripled!) and stores well in the fridge.

My mouth is watering in anticipation of having more of this. YUM! :o) And, since I have to actually prepare food (for the first time in weeks) next week, I may just have to make some more of this.

Enjoy!
--Rach

This is definitely a comfort food for me. It combines my love of egg noodles with creamy filling and a lovely nutty Grueyer topping. It comes compliments of Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats.

Cream of Mushroom Sauce
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T unsalted butter
12 button mushrooms, chopped
2 T all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup whole milk or cream
1/8 t freshly grated nutmeg (ground works)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Casserole
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 portobello mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 lb fresh mixed wild mushrooms
1 T fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped (from 4 sprigs)
1/3 cup dry white whine
1 pound extra-wide egg noodles
1-2 T unsalted butter, softened
3/4 lb Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese, shredded
3 T fresh chives

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil fro the egg noodles.

To make the mushroom sauce, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts, add the chopped button mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, until just tender. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a bubble, then stir in the whole milk. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

To make the casserole, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 2 T olive oil then the shallots and mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for about 8 minutes, or until tender. Season with thyme, salt and pepper and deglaze the pan with the wine. Reduce the heat to medium low and let the liquid cook off.

Preheat the broiler to high.

While the mushrooms cook, drop the egg noodles into the boiling water, salt the water, and cook the noodles al dente. Drain the noodles and return them to the hot pot. Add the creamy sauce to the pot and toss the noodles to coat in the sauce.

Lightly coat a casserole dish with the softened butter, then transfer the cream of mushroom noodles ot the dish and top with the mushroom ragout and shredded cheese. Place the casserole under the vroiler and melt and bubble the cheese until brown at the edges. Garnish with the chives.
As you can see, we were fresh out of chives. Who cares? It was still ooey gooey delicious. :o)
Enjoy!

--Rach

Nope, it's not this. :oP

This is my most favorite turkey soup recipe and I didn't have the pleasure of enjoying it until I started dating Brien. This recipe comes to you all courtesy of Nana. (And, YES, I should have posted this BEFORE Thanksgiving, but I only thought about it this evening since it's dinner for the next week. )

Ingredients:
1 turkey carcass
4 quarts water
1 cup butter
1 cup flour
3 onions, chopped
2 large carrots, diced (I just sliced 'em)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
2 t salt
3/4 t pepper
2 cups half and half

Directions:
Place turkey carcass and water in large dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer one hour. Remove carcass from broth and pick meat from bones (thank you bunches, Bob, for leaving ours so meat heavy!). Set broth and meat aside. Measure broth. Add water if necessary to equal 3 quarts.

Heat butter in a large dutch oven (I simply use the same one). Add flour and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for five minutes (I use a whisk to eliminate lumps)--this makes a roux. Stir carrots, onions, and celery into the roux. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring often until they are softened. Add broth, turkey, rice, slat and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Add half and half and cook until thoroughly heated.

Enjoy! :o)

--Rach

This is a VERY simple recipe that is pulled together and cooked up in about 30-45 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 box jumbo shells
1 jar marinara
1 large carton ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 egg
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

While shells are cooking, mix together ricotta, egg, salt and pepper, 2 cups mozzarella. Drain shells and cool enough to handle. Fill shells (this recipe will fill about 20 shells) and nestle together in a greased 9"x13" pan. Cover in marinara and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top. Top that with the shredded Parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbling hot.

--Rachr

Mom posted this comment on "Life with Hannah and Lily" and I knew it would be a wonderful addition over here.

Mom wrote:

hoo hoo! I found the recipe:

It is the following items to one gallon warm water:
1 tsp. Epsom salts
1 tsp. salt peter (Get in Rx dept. at Wal-Mart)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. non-sudsy ammonia

This is the best fertilizer I have ever used. Move over Miracle-Gro

Mom

Thanks, Lissie, you're the best! :o)

--Rach

I'm not sure if Mom has already posted this recipe or not. If it's a repeat, I apologize. ;o)

Ukrop's had strawberries (red, ripe, gloriously smelling strawberries) for $1.50/box today and I decided we would have strawberries with fresh whipped cream over lemon pound cake for our Valentine's treat. This recipe works best if you have a stand mixer as you have to beat it for 15 minutes.

Granny Tess Lemon Pound Cake

3 sticks butter
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 t vanilla extract
1 t lemon extract

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat, scraping bowl as needed. Alternate adding the flour and milk (1/3 each time), beating between each addition, again, scraping bowl as needed. Add vanilla and lemon extracts and beat for 15 minutes. <--This step is especially important as it makes the batter smooth as silk and quite fluffy. (I added a little lemon zest today, just because.)

Bake at 350 for about an hour and fifteen minutes, checking often after one hour. (I usually use my nose to tell me when it's getting close to done. Once you've made the cake a few times, you get the scent of it.)

Turn out onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.

This next step is optional (Jessie's not a particular fan but B and I LOVE it).

Glaze:
1 cup lemon juice and 2 cups confectioner's sugar and mix well. Pour over cake after cake is cool. I do this by putting the glaze back in the bunt pan and putting the cake back in the pan and letting it soak in.

This cake is an excellent picnic/church function/bake sale/office surprise cake. It's quick, easy and SOOOOO delicious.



Enjoy! :o)

--Rach

I feel as if I'm taking over Jessie's blog! You see, Jess, Lissie and I are all very anxious about our environment and our effect on it. We are interested in sustainable agriculture, buying local and organic and feeding our families wholesome, healthful meals.

Jessie had begun this blog as a way to document her ideas, her gardening, anything that didn't quite fit with Tangential Thoughts. This morning, while we were chatting, she decided we needed to document our family's journey into the world of food and more. She decided (and I agreed) a blog would be a lovely place for us to post our favorite family recipes as well as new ones we come across that look yummy.

I have been striving towards simplicity in our foods and food choices. I have long thought organics are a much better choice for my family for many reasons. Yes, they are more expensive, however, they are produced without the use pesticides, often on smaller, family-run farms. Ukrop's provides me with local organic produce whenever possible. I prefer organic dairy products and meats. I have long held that little girls are maturing and developing faster than ever because of all the hormones that are pumped into the cows. I may be full of nonsense, but, what if I'm not? Additionally, we don't need to ingest all the antibiotics that are pumped into the cattle, poultry and pork. Besides, organics just TASTE better! :o)

I also have a theory about all the preservatives and additives we're pumping into our children through all the processed foods available today. Our lives are SO busy we fall into the trap of purchasing items that are quick and convenient, whether it's fast food or pre-cut packaged apples. If we're going to homecook meals, they often come from boxes and cans. I wonder how much of this contributes to AD/HD, ADD and childhood obesity? I'm sure the research is out there, I just haven't found it yet.

I don't remember much of the cooking from my childhood coming from boxes and cans. We ate fresh produce from the garden and from our friends' and families' gardens. Mom and Papa both prepared food from scratch and, quite frankly, Jessie and I were quite trim and healthy children. I'm working toward more healthful cooking and eliminating HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and trans fats from our diet as well as processed foods. I want us to be healthy and happy together!


--Rach