Mini Peanut Butter Cups

I love movies and like people all over the world, I’ll be watching the Academy Awards to see who will be walking on to the stage to accept each award. It’s fun television and although I might be boring and watching those awards home in my pajamas, I definitely like to make the evening a little bit of an event. I like to serve some champagne while watching and indulge some bit size food, including the dessert. For this year, I’m planning on making these mini peanut butter cups. They are decadently delicious and yet easy to make. Now, let’s get down to business , which film is winning Best Picture??

From by the bay, wishing you starry food memories!

Maryann

Mini Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 12 mini cups

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

6 tablespoons ground graham crackers

2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 ounces milk chocolate

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1 tablespoons light corn syrup

Coarse Sea Salt , such as Maldon

Baking Spray

Directions

Take a non stick mini muffin tin and spray with your baking spray or line each cup with a paper liner. In a bowl add the sugar, cinnamon and graham cracker crumbs, mix and set aside. Use a glass bowl to microwave peanut butter and butter in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until mixture is smooth. Usually, doing this twice will work. Add this mixture to your graham cracker mixture and stir to combine. Use a teaspoon to place mixture into the bottom of each muffin tin. Place filled muffin tin into the refrigerator to set. Now add the chocolate to the microwave and melt using 30 second intervals to stir the melting chocolate 2-3 times should do it. Once the chocolate is melted add the cream and corn syrup. Stir until smooth. Take the peanut butter filled muffin tin and fill with melted chocolate. Sprinkle coarse sea salt on the top. Place back into the refrigerator and let set for another 30 minutes before serving. You can remove the peanut butter cups from the tin and store in a plastic container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Variations: to the ground graham crackers , cinnamon and sugar mixture you can omit the cinnamon and add 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder to have a chocolate peanut butter bottom, or you can use bittersweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate and omit the light corn syrup to top your peanut butter cups.

White Chocolate with Pink Peppercorns

I love homemade Valentine’s, I’ve beem making them since I was a little girl. There is nothing like taking the time to make something yourself to show you care. I thought making a flavored chocolate this year would be fun. I did a little research and testing and came up with this white chocolate base mixed with touch of lemon zest for tang and some ground pink peppercorns to give a little of heat. The two ingredients offer the perfect harmonious taste when mixed with the white chocolate. What better way to say , ” I love you”!From by the bay, wishing you sweet food memories and a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Maryann

White Chocolate with Pink Peppercorns

Ingredients

16 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped

2 teaspoons pink peppercorns, ground

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and place in microwave at high for 30 seconds. Remove bowl and stir chocolate with a spatula. Repeat again by placing into microwave for another 30 seconds, remove and stir. Repeat this process until chocolate is melted, which varies althought ususally in total it is 2 -3 times. Stir chocolate until it is completely smooth. Once chocolate is melted add the lemon zest and ground pink peppercorns. Stir well. Pour melted chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread into a rectangle shape. You can top with some additional pieces of pink peppercorn if you like. Place into the refrigerator to cool. Once cool, break the chocolate into large pieces.

Double Chocolate and Toffee Cookies

Sometimes, it’s my pantry that inspires an adaption of a recipe or a new combination of tastes. This cookie was inspired while exploring my pantry. I was looking at what candy and chocolate was still lingering from Christmas. Every Christmas we receive a gift of toffee with almonds and there was still quite a bit still left over , as well as various chocolate bars received as gifts in food baskets or left from the holiday cookie baking. I decided to bake cookies using the leftover sweets. The cookie dough recipe is a favorite of mine from Ina Garten, which results in a cookie that is soft inside but crispy on the edges. I tossed the toffee into a resealable plastic bag and smashed it with a meat tenderizer, a rolling pin would have worked just as well. I created essentially toffee rubble. Along with the toffee, I chopped up the chocolate into pieces the size of large chocolate chips. I like using bittersweet chocolate but any chocolate would work and the proportions could shift and change based on what sweet left overs you have around as long as you have 1 1/2 cups in total to add to the cookie batter. You can get creative with what you want to add, it could be dried fruit and chocolate or chopped nuts and chocolate instead of the toffee. Make this cookie your own, based on what you like to eat! Happy Baking!

From by the bay wishing you , sweet baking food memories!

Maryann

Double Chocolate and Toffee Cookies

Adapted from Ina Garten, “Barefoot Contessa Parties!” published in 2001

Makes 20 to 24 Cookies

Ingredients

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened ( 1 stick)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 egg

1/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt

3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup toffee, chopped

Directions

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl add the butter and sugars. Use an electric mixer and beat ingredients until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and the then egg and beat in well. Add cocoa and mix well. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture slowly and mix at a low speed. Next add in the chopped chocolate and toffee and combine. Drop dough in rounded teaspoons of dough onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven. The cookie will appear soft, let cool on the pan a few minutes and it will then take shape. Remove and cool on wire racks. Store in air tight containers.

Lentil soup

We continue to be fighting cold weather and the flu here on the east coast. So my call to action is comfort food for strength. I think a hearty soup is the perfect answer. I used the ham bone I had in the freezer from Christmas , I embarked on making a lentil soup that uses some of my favorite flavors, such as rosemary, thyme, red chili flakes, garlic and some dry sherry. It’s my mother’s lentil soup kicked up a few times for more flavor. I love adding just a touch of heat to the soup with the red chili flakes, and the sherry is purely for medicinal purposes! Lentils are considered a power food, it helps lower cholesterol, helps lower the risk of heart disease and it’s filled with antioxidants. So fortify your family with this delicious and warming soup.

From by the bay wishing you nourishing food memories!

Maryann

Lentil Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups sweet onions finely chopped

2 tablespoons garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

2 quarts chicken stock

1 ham bone with some meat on bone

1 pound umbrian lentils

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup dry sherry

Directions

In a stock pot heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté the onions until soften. Add garlic and red chili flakes and saute another minute. Add rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Sauté until fragrant about one minute. Add the stock and ham bone. Bring to a boil, then lower heat , cover and simmer for approximately 1 hour. Remove the ham bone, chop the meat from the bone and add back into the soup along with the lentils, salt and pepper and simmer covered another hour. Add sherry and simmer another ten minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Spicy Beef Brisket and Sausage Chili

Super Bowl Sunday is upon us and nothing is more traditional than making a great chili. What makes this chili recipe special is it’s pretty easy to make and it has really big flavor from combining hot italian sausage along with your ground meat. I suggest ground beef brisket here but regular ground beef works just as well. I do suggest that you get a beef with a slightly higher fat content ( 20%) for flavor. The added flavor is worth the extra step of pouring off any fat you might have after browning the meat. If you prefer your chili less spicy, get regular italian sausage meat and cut in half the amount of red pepper flakes and cayenne. Using the basil and the cannellini beans in this recipe really makes for a lighter taste! Hope you team wins the Super Bowl!

From by the bay wishing you winning Super Bowl food memories!

Maryann

Spicy Beef Brisket and Sausage Chili

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds hot italian sausage, with casings removed

3 pounds ground beef brisket ( or ground beef , 80% lean)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 – 26.46 ounces chopped tomatoes with liquid ( use no sodium added)

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 bay leave

1 cup strong black coffee

2 – 15 ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a very large heavy bottomed pot and brown the sausage meat. Transfer the meat to a bowl using a slotted spoon. In the same pot add the ground meat and brown. Remove the browned meat with slotted spoon into the bowl with the sausage meat and set aside. Pour off any liquid and/or fat from the pot. Place pot and remaining olive oil on medium heat and once the oil is hot saute the onions and garlic until softened but not brown, approximately 10 minutes. Add the pepper flakes, cumin and cayenne and saute 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Add the tomatoes, bay leave, salt, pepper, coffee and the reserved meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally. Add the cannellini beans ( strained and rinsed) and simmer another 1/2 hour. Serve warm with fresh basil on top.

Chili can be served with :

Sour Cream

Grated Cheddar Cheese

Diced Tomato

Tortilla chips

Guacamole – here is the link to my favorite recipe

https://blog.entertainingbythebay.com/2011/07/04/guacomole-days.aspx

Dried Cherry, Coconut and Chinese Five Spice Granola

I love lazy winter weekend mornings, when you just want to sit in with a cup of coffee and read the newspaper over breakfast. Home made granola is a terrific breakfast for such mornings. It fills the house with a welcoming aroma and you can make enough granola to last through the week. It’s perfect for topping your yogurt and or fruit. This crunchy granola is easy to make and delicious to eat……it takes about 5 minutes to get the ingredients mixed together and into the oven. There is nothing like a little effort with big results!

From by the bay, wishing you sweet and crunchy food memories!

Maryann

Dried Cherry, Coconut and Chinese Five Spice Granola

3 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 1/2 cups pepita (pumpkin) seeds, unsalted
1/2 cup blanched sliced almonds
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chinese five spice powder
4 tablespoons orange blossom honey
½ cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup dried cherries

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine all ingredients except the dried fruit into a mixing bowl, combine well. On a parchment lined sheet spread ingredients in 1 layer. Bake for 50 minutes until brown stirring every ten minutes until mixture is browned. Remove from oven and cool granola. Once cooled add dried cherries and coconut. Mix well. Keep in airtight container. It should keep about one week.

Beef Short Rib Braised in Red Wine

Well, it was bound to happen. Temperatures just plunged here on the East Coast and when the wind whips across the bay, it is bone chilling! When the weather turns that cold, I find making a nice braise that spends a few hours in the oven the ultimate comfort food. I love making braises through out the winter and one of the most rewarding is this slow red wine braise for beef short ribs. Beef short ribs are one of the most delicious and flavorful cuts of meat. It takes some love and time to bring the best out of this cut in preparation. First, the ribs are bathed in a brine for a few hours to add flavor and keep the meat tender while it slowly braises in the oven in a bath of red wine and beef stock with some lovely herbs and vegetables. The final step is a splash of red wine vinegar to balance against the richness of the meat. The result is a beautiful, complex marriage of flavors. I know this sounds a little theatrical but the results are show worthy!

From by the bay wishing you lovely slow braised food memories!
Maryann

Beef Short Rib Braised in Red Wine

Serves 4-6

For Brine

1 tablespoon pink peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup coarse sea salt

6 cups water

For Braise

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds beef short ribs

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 cups leeks, chopped in rings using the white and light green parts only

1 cup fennel, chopped ( remove fronds, stem and core)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups beef stock

1 bottle dry red wine

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

In a large stock pot add the ingredients for the brine and bring to a boil, dissolving the sugar and salt. Cool completely then add the beef short ribs , cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator and remove meat from the brine pat dry and let come to room temperature , before proceeding with making the braise. Mix flour, salt, pepper and paprika in a sealed plastic bag. Add beef short ribs into the bag and coat with the flour mixture. In a large Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté the floured beef short ribs until browned. Remove browned meat into a bowl and place to the side. Add remaining olive oil to a pan and sauté the leeks and fennel until both start to soften. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute a minute . Add the fennel seeds, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Sauté until fragrant about one minute. Add the tomatoe paste. Deglaze with the wine and stock . Add light brown sugar , salt and pepper and then add the meat. Bring to a boil, then lower heat , cover and simmer until very tender but meat still on the bone, approximately 3 hours. Skim any fat from the sauce and then add one tablespoon red wine vinegar and simmer another ten minutes. Remove from heat and serve with soft polenta or mashed potatoes.

Eggnog Pudding

Well the holidays are officially done and I would venture to guess that just like me , you are probably looking at various leftovers when you stare into your refrigerator. As I looked at the carton still half filled with eggnog, I considered several different uses and landed on making some pudding. This was a quick and delicious way to use what was left and give new life to the holiday eggnog!

From by the bay wishing you rich and creamy food memories!

Maryann

Eggnog Pudding

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 cups eggnog ( if you don’t have 2 cups of leftover eggnog , use milk to get 2 cups of liquid)

1/2 cup fine granulated sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

optional: nutmeg to sprinkle on top of the pudding

Directions

In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch. Mix well until smooth and set aside. Place into a saucepan eggnog and sugar on medium heat and bring liquid to a simmer to dissolve the sugar. Add the cornstarch mixture and continue to whisk until the mixture starts to thicken, it will have the consistency of soft pudding and start to bubble at the edges. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and continue to whisk to keep the pudding smooth. Pour into 4 serving dishes. Cover the top of each pudding with plastic wrap to prevent from forming a skin on top, pressing wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. Place into the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours before serving. Sprinkle with nutmeg when serving.

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Provolone

Well, we are well into the holidays season and still a few parties to go from now until New Year’s. I thought I would share my all time favorite crowd pleasing appetizer recipe . Variations of this recipe abound but if you have never tried it , you definitely should. It’s easy to make and assemble in advance for a party, which is a plus in book for any party recipe.

From by the bay wishing you happy holiday food memories!

Maryann

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Provolone

24 pieces

Ingredients

24 pitted Medjool dates

12 slices bacon

2 ounces provolone cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the bacon slices in half with a scissor. Cut the provolone cheese into 24 small sticks approximately 1” x 1 ¼”. Place cheese into the date. Wrap date with a ½ slice of bacon and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and turn the dates over and bake for 15 more minutes until the bacon is crispy. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations

You can make these with other sharp cheeses such as Manchego, Parmesan or Soft Gorgonzola.

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entertaining by the bay

casual cooking and living

Mini Peanut Butter Cups

White Chocolate with Pink Peppercorns

Lentil soup

Spicy Beef Brisket and Sausage Chili

Dried Cherry, Coconut and Chinese Five Spice Granola

Beef Short Rib Braised in Red Wine

Eggnog Pudding

Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Provolone