Brownie Pudding Cake 25 October 2009

The top is cake-like and the bottom is creamy and pudding-like.  From the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

Instructions

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease an 8×8x2-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, granulated sugar, the 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, the baking powder, and salt.  Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla.  Stir in the walnuts if you choose to use them.  Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
3. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar and the 1/4 cup cocoa powder.  Stir in the boiling water.  Slowly pour over batter.
4. Bake for 40 minutes.
5. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 45 to 60 minutes.  Serve warm.
6. Spoon cake into dessert bowls, spoon pudding from the bottom of the pan over cake.

Goes really well with vanilla ice cream.  It’s VERY VERY rich, and perfect with a big glass of milk.

Stir fry steak 25 October 2009

Made this with fried rice last night, but I ended up not using the recipe I had and made it my own way instead.  Turned out amazingly well, and here’s the recipe.  Would’ve worked really well in the right kind of fajitas, too.  Next time I’m making a lot more, but that’s all the steak we had left.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb steak, cut into thin strips
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. dark molasses
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. Accent seasoning
• 1 tsp. chives (fresh is best, I used onion chives)
• salt
• pepper

Directions

1. Combine all seasoning ingredients up through chives in a small plastic container.  Close and shake to combine.
2. Give it a taste test, add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add steak, shake to coat.  Marinate for 20-30 minutes.
4. Remove steak from marinade and cook in a little oil in a frying pan.
5. When nearly cooked through, drain off any juices in the pan, season steak with pepper, stir, and allow to finish cooking.

Apple Enchiladas 21 October 2009

From Recipezaar.

Ingredients

• 8 flour tortillas
• 1 (16 oz.) can cinnamon apple pie filling
• ¾-1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix the softened cream cheese and ¾-1 cup powdered sugar together until smooth and no lumps are visible.
3. Place 2 Tbsp. cream cheese mixture and 2 Tbsp apple pie filling on each of 8 tortillas.  Roll up as you would an enchilada and place in a greased baking pan.
4. Pour the ½ cup melted butter over the enchiladas.  Mix the granulated sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
7. Mix ¼ cup melted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and milk together.  Pour over enchiladas.

Stuffed Manicotti 20 October 2009

This was my first try at making this by hand.  Turned out delicious!  You can leave the spinach out if it’s not your thing.  Didn’t use a recipe for this, just adapted what i remembered of a lasagna recipe my bf makes.

Ingredients

• 1 box manicotti noodles (14 noodles)
• 15 oz. package ricotta cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese (extra if you want to top with it as well)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 eggs
• 10 oz. spinach, drained
• 1 jar pasta sauce

Directions

1. Cook pasta slightly under al dente, so they are firm enough to stuff.  Rinse and drain, cool.
2. Mix cheeses, eggs, and spinach.
3. Pipe cheese mixture into shells.  (If you do not have piping bag, use a ziploc with a corner cut off.  Extra pair of hands helps here)
4. Place shells into a buttered or greased 9×13 pan.
5. Top with pasta sauce, whatever kind you prefer.
6. Cook at 350F for 45 minutes.  (add extra mozzarella in the last 15 minutes of cooking if you would like)