Kitchen Conundrum

Chocolate Covered Oreos and Chocolate Hearts-Just In Time For Valentine’s Day!

by

If there is anything I like better than chocolate, it’s more chocolate. I have to eat something chocolate every day. It can be a small piece of high quality dark chocolate or a full out binge on Reese’s Peanut Butter cups.  Either way, there must always be some chocolate every single day. So as Valentine’s Day approaches, my eyes widen and gloss over and my salivary glands work overtime, just thinking of all the confections and sweet treats we can make.

To start, we made Chocolate Covered Oreos and some bite sized hearts. Which, by the way, are the perfect size to pop into your mouth and eat several of  before realizing that there are nearly none left and you have to make more! (Aw, shucks! haha!)

The candy and the Oreos are incredibly easy to make, especially if you have a candy mold or a muffin tin.  We used candy molds for both, and they can be found for around $2 each at your local craft store or bakery supply store.

Before you begin, think about what you want your final product to look like and plan accordingly.  Brown, chocolate Oreos work better with brown chocolate and the white Oreos work either way, covered in both white or brown chocolate. I only point this out, because the brown Oreos tend to peak through the white chocolate.  Also, if you are decorating, you can melt a small amount of white chocolate and use a bit of food coloring to make it any color you would like. Or you can just buy melts, which are chocolate buttons that come in a variety of colors and melt those.

You may use any type or brand of chocolate you prefer.  Personally, for me, I prefer dark chocolate to milk chocolate, but I don’t like it too bitter.  So, I will use something with less than 75% Cacao.  I won’t list a particular brand name, because there are so many and so many good ones. Just use one that you really like!

Start by lightly spray the molds with Vegetable Oil, or other spray. If you are making your covered Oreos in a muffin tin, be sure to coat it well. Set aside.

To melt the chocolate, break it into small pieces, and place in a metal bowl over a saucepan that is filled half way with very hot, but not boiling, water.  The flame should remain on low to maintain the water’s heat.  Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally.

To make the chocolate hearts, just pour the warm melted chocolate directly into the mold and place into the fridge until it hardens and cools, about 20 minutes. If you want to make designs in your chocolate, you can use a melted chocolate of another color and paint designs in the mold before filling it with the chocolate. We made red splatters, white splatters and white polka dots for ours.

To make the chocolate covered Oreos, you do the same, filling the mold about half way and placing a whole cookie in the middle, pushing down gently until the cookie sides are completely covered. The chocolate will ooze up the sides and overflow covering the edges.  You can use a spatula or a spoon to cover the bottom of the cookie with more chocolate if you desire, or you can leave the bottom uncovered.  Place the mold in the fridge until set and hardened. About 1 hour.

If you are using a muffin tin, just fill the metal cup of the tin with chocolate about half way up, push the cookie gently into the cup until the chocolate oozes up the sides and they are completely covered. Use a spoon to add more chocolate to cover the bottom of the cookie just like above. Set the muffin tin into the fridge until it’s set and hardened. About 1 hour.

When ready, just invert the molds/tins and the confections should slide right out! If you want to decorate them some more,  fill a piping bag with additional melted chocolate of a contrasting color and have fun!

This is a super easy and fun project to do with the kids. They love decorating and getting their fingers covered in the melty chocolate. Plus, they can always eat their “mistakes”!

 

 

 

Cornbread Recipe

by

Cornbread means a lot of different things to different people, depending on where you are from. Say cornbread to my in-laws and they’ll  think of a rye bread that is crusted in corn meal.  But that is an Eastern European cornbread, and nothing at all like the cornbread we make here in the states. Typically, from the South and the Southwest,  cornbread varieties include skillet or molded corn pone cakes, Jonnycakes, hushpuppies, hot water cornbread and baked cornbread. Each is similar in ingredients but vastly different in texture and form.

I grew up eating cornbread made in a cast iron skillet or if my mother was being “fancy” she would bake them in the cast iron molds shaped like little ears of corn.  They were thin and crispy on the outside and dense and firm on the inside. I used to eat them coated in butter, or my favorite was to crumble and mix the pieces into a glass of milk and eat it with a spoon.

Nowadays, I prefer to eat cornbread that’s fluffier and moister but still with a rich butter flavor and crispy on the outside. You could almost call it a corn cake.

And it goes so well with hearty stews and chilis!

 

Ingredients

½  cup butter or margarine, softened

½  cup sugar

3 eggs

1 2/3 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

½ cup frozen corn kernels

Method

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.

Add the eggs and milk, mixing well.

Add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Blending together until just mixed.

Fold in the frozen corn kernels.

Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cut into squares; serve warm.

Cover any uneaten portions with plastic wrap.

 

Its really good for breakfast with a glass of milk or as a late night treat with a cup of tea.

Ari’s Smokin’ Chili Reicpe

by

The Northeast has been just slammed with one snow storm after the other and we have all been basically trapped in our houses for days on end. During this forced hibernation, we’ve sought warmth and comfort, whether it be a cup of tea and a warm duvet, or hanging out in fuzzy slippers and pjs while playing the Wii with the kids. It’s just those kinds of days.

We’ve also been cooking things that are comforting and warming. There has been Irish Oatmeal and Popovers for breakfast, homemade Macaroni and Cheese for lunch and soups and stews of various varieties for dinner. Anything to just keep us warm on the inside and fuel us while we shovel out a path to the rest of the world.

Last weekend, during yet another snowstorm and a day inside, we were glued to the TV in hopes that our home football team, from NY*, would win and take us on to the big game (otherwise known as the Super “Bleep”**). That didn’t quite happen, but we really enjoyed the chili and cornbread we ate while rooting them on.

*Rhymes with lets, pets, and bets. **Apparently only officially licensed sponsors can use the real name. And did you know, that you can’t actually say the Team Name? It’s true. You can only refer to their cities of origin but not by their official NFL monikers. I’m not even sure if you can say NFL. Opps. Said it twice! (And yes, I know, I probably can say their names because I am not actually advertising or selling anything. I just didn’t want to.)

 

Ingredients

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 lbs ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Jalapeno diced, (remove ribs and seeds for less heat)

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz.)

2 chipotle peppers, canned variety with a some paste, diced

1 can red kidney beans, drained

1 cup water

1 can tomato paste (6 oz.)

1 tbs cayenne pepper

½ tsp Spanish paprika (Pimentón de la Vera- Dulce, a sweet, smoky paprika)

1 tbs red pepper flakes

1 tbs ground cumin

1½ tsp oregano

1½ tsp thyme

½ tsp ground coriander

Method

In a large Dutch oven or other large pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Cook the meat, turning frequently with a wooden spoon or spatula until browned through. Once cooked, remove the meat with a slotted spoon from pot and set aside in a bowl, leaving the liquids in the pot.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, green bell pepper, garlic, Jalapeno and sauté until tender. Add the canned tomatoes, the chipotles and the beans. Cook for 5 minutes more.

Return the meat to the pot and add the water and tomato paste. Combine well and reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

At this time, remove the cover and add the cayenne, paprika, red pepper, cumin, oregano, thyme and coriander and mix well. Let cook, continuing to simmer, uncovered for an additional half hour.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. You may also add additional cayenne pepper if you prefer a hotter spice.

Spoon into large bowls and serve with corn bread or tortilla chips. You can also add toppings such as grated cheese, sour cream, chopped onion or chopped jalapenos.

 

However you like it, enjoy and may it keep you warm!