Peanut Butter Brownies

I have no idea why these are called brownies. Maybe it's because they're .... brown? I suppose it's because they're made much like brownies (and blondies), but instead of chocolate you use peanut butter. I realize that some people believe it's a cardinal sin to make brownies without chocolate, but if you're going to replace that cocoa crack with something peanut butter is the next best thing!

Peanut Butter Brownies
Adapted from BakeSpace
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Ingredients
1/2 cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 8-inch square baking dish.
2. In a large bowl blend peanut butter and butter until well-mixed. Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, stirring well. Pour into prepared baking dish.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, being careful not to overbake because bars will quickly harden.

Pear Cornmeal Upsidedown Cake

This month I'm participating in Sugar High Fridays for the first time, which is being hosted by Alanna of A Veggie Venture. The challenge was to create a dish with a surprise inside, which really stumped me. I could not decide what to do - mostly because I was thinking inside the box and considering recipes with unexpected custards or fruits in cakes or muffins. I finally started thinking outside of the box and just decided to google strange ingredients to find out what I could make with them. Okay, not strange, but different from my usual recipe repertoire. I came up with recipes for tofu, cayenne pepper and stone-ground cornmeal, the latter of which I went with.



I ultimately chose a Pear Upsidedown Cake. I loved the description of a "crunchy texture", thanks to the cornmeal, but the caramel and pear slices also made it divine to photograph. I would add one warning: If you use a springform pan, make sure to put it on a cookie sheet (preferably covered in foil) before you bake. The caramel runs everywhere!



Pear-Cornmeal Upsidedown Cake
Adapted from Country Living
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Ingredients
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 Bartlett pears, peeled, one sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and the other cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornmeal, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
Sweetened whipped cream for serving, optional

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 8-inch springform pan, and place it on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
2. To make the caramel: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat cook one cup of sugar, stirring constantly, until it melts and turns an amber color. Stir in two tablespoons of butter. Pour into the springform pan, and roll pan until caramel evenly covers bottom. Arrange pear slices and wedges over caramel in desired pattern, and set aside.
3. To make the cake: In a medium bowl sift the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt and set aside.
4. In a separate, large bowl beat remaining 3/4 cup sugar and remaining four tablespoons butter until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients a bit at a time, and mix until just combined. (Don't overmix or the cake may be tough.) Carefully spread the cake batter over the pears and caramel.
5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until cake is golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool slightly before inverting cake onto a cake plate and carefully removing springform base. Serve warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of sweetened, whipped cream, if desired.

Mustard-Maple Salmon

My dad is big fisherman so we eat a lot of fish around here. It's all cleaned, filleted and frozen in Ziplock bags filled with water, which is great because it stays fresh that way and it stacks nicely in the freezer, too. We usually have it deep-fried, after it's been soaked in milk and dusted with fish-fry cornmeal. And it's great, but it's obviously not the most healthy thing we could be eating.

As many of you know my husband (along with his mother and brother) is allergic to shellfish. For many years he thought this translated over to fish, too. Luckily he was in Minnesota awhile back for a business trip and, thanks to Garrison Keillor, he decided to try walleye. And guess what? Not only did he not die (as he originally feared) but he loved it. That was great news to me because it meant I could add fish into our diet. He takes part in our fish fries now, which is great to see, but he also loves salmon. It's usually something that we only order in restaurants, but when I found this recipe I knew it would be a keeper. Brad will eat anything covered in honey-mustard sauce so how could I go wrong with mustard and maple syrup?

Mustard-Maple Salmon
Adapted from Home Cooking Magazine
Makes 4 servings
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3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

1. In a small bowl, whisk mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour it into a large, resealable plastic bag. Add salmon. Seal and marinate in refrigerator at least 20 minutes.
2. Heat grill or broiler. Remove salmon from bag, reserving marinade. Coat grill or broiler pan with nonstick spray, then place salmon fillets.
3. Cook 6 minutes on each side, or until done, basting with marinade.

Arugula Salad

We eat variations of the same thing in this house: chicken and pork. It's easy for me to get in a rut and serve the same thing alongside them, too: potatoes and broccoli. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with those foods; I'd imagine they make up the backbone of many American households' meals. But sometimes I try to push myself to not only eat more healthfully but to peek beyond the edge of the potato-filled box. Enter: Radishes. No, they're not new to me, but I think they're an oft-overlooked vegetable, which is a shame because they're beautiful - especially on a plate of such beige foods as chicken and potatoes.

Obviously, this bright pink and green salad was like a burst of sunshine after a week of gray. (Is it raining cats and dogs, and is the sun hiding where you live, too?) It wasn't only the color that popped, though. The peppery arugula and the tangy mustard woke up my tastebuds, too. This salad is everything it's supposed to be: bright, crisp and flavorful, without being heavy.



Arugula and Radish Salad
Everyday Food
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• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 to 5 bunches arugula (1 1/4 pounds total; thick stems removed), washed well and dried
• 1 bunch radishes (8 ounces), sliced

1. In a large bowl, whisk together mustard and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Whisk in oil. (To store, refrigerate, up to 1 day.) Add arugula and radishes to bowl, and toss to coat. Serve salad immediately.

Stuffed Green Peppers

My mom used to make stuffed green peppers when I was a kid, and I remember that I always ate the filling and left the pepper. I've never professed to be anything other than typical; although I've read this week that there are kids whose favorite food is raw peppers. How do you even get a kid to try raw peppers? I need your secrets! These days I have no trouble eating the whole thing - raw or cooked - especially when the pepper comes straight from my dad's garden. I'm not that into gardening - beyond the yard and flowers - so it's nice that my parents live a quarter mile away and my dad grows beautiful vegetables like this!



Other than the quasi-fussy aspect of cleaning and blanching the peppers and later stuffing them this recipe is a cinch. The stuffing in stuffed peppers always reminds me of meatloaf, which is a good thing because, you see, my picky husband loves meatloaf but could care less about the pepper. Yes; he leaves the pepper on his plate. (There's always one in the crowd, isn't there?) Good thing I adore him - and his picky palate (which I must confess is much more adventurous than it used to be.) I have little hope (or energy) to persuade him to take a bite, but that's okay because I have another little guy to persuade these days!



Stuffed Green Peppers
Adapted from AllRecipes
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Ingredients
6 green bell peppers
1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes,chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 cup water, divided
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the green peppers, and remove the ribs and seeds. Cook peppers for 5 minutes then drain.
2. Over medium-high heat cook beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide beef mixture and fill each pepper. Place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine tomato soup and other half cup of water. Pour over peppers.
4. Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Toronto! (A Slideshow!)

What a great trip! If you're looking for a quick, weekend trip and a stamp in your passport I highly recommend Toronto. We had a great time, and the weather is beautiful there this time of year. If you plan to go and have any questions just let me know! And also? The FOOD IS AWESOME. I didn't have a bad meal while I was there. There was this fig, honey and goat cheese pizza one night; incredible Chinese another; French omelettes one morning ....

Peaches and Cream Dessert

"This is the best peach pie I've ever eaten." That was the first response to this pie at work. I think that says it all.

When I got married I had one of those Recipe Showers, where all the guests bring their favorite recipe, pre-written on a cute card for a box that the hostesses bought for me. This peach-pie recipe was from my college roommate, Natalie. It's her mom's recipe - and I'm sure it's all over the Internet in other forms - but to me it will always be Ann's pie. We used to beg Natalie to make this in college - it's really that good. She would almost always oblige - she would say, "Okay, but it's not the easiest thing in the world." And she's right - it is a little time-consuming, but at the same time it's a no-bake dessert so it doesn't get much easier.

I know that the unofficial end of summer was last weekend, but many of you are still finding fresh peaches in your markets. While a fresh peach out of hand is a fabulous treat this pie ranks right up there because, well, the peaches are still fresh (i.e. not baked.) It's a great treat, and if you're still living through the heat of summer it's very refreshing, too!



Peaches and Cream Dessert
From the Kitchens and Ann and Natalie
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4 cups sliced peaches
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 3-oz. package peach jello
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup water
1 8-oz. package of cream cheese
1 9-0z. container of whipped topping
2 graham-cracker pie crusts

1. Stir 1/2 cup of sugar with the peaches and set aside.
2. Mix 3/4 cup of sugar, salt, cornstarch and water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until thick and clear. Remove from heat and stir in jello. Allow to cool and add peaches.
3. Beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup of sugar until fluffy. Gradually add in milk and beat until well combined. Then fold in whipped topping by hand.
4. Spread 1/2 of the cream-cheese mixture over two crusts. Add all peaches, divided between two pies. Top with remaining cream-cheese mixture.
5. Chill thoroughly before serving.

(We had a great trip to Canada last week; I highly recommend Toronto for an easy weekend getaway. The weather was perfect, too, so if you go - go in September! The food was awesome; I didn't have a bad meal while we were there.)

Buttermilk Baked Chicken

There is a special place in my heart for fried chicken. I suppose it's cliche to say this since I live in the South, where fried chicken reigns supreme. Aside from macaroni and cheese and fresh biscuits it's definitely my favorite food. (Yikes. Mac-n-cheese and biscuits! Talk about cliche!) Are you one of those people who eschew fried chicken because of its fat content? While I suggest putting aside thoughts about fat and calories while eating fried chicken I totally understand where you're coming from. But it doesn't have to be that way; there is panko, which can step in and liven up a dish, giving baked chicken the shattering crunch of traditional fried chicken. Panko is a traditional breadcrumb from Japan, and it's made from bread without crusts, which gives it an airy texture. (I buy it at my grocery store in the Asian foods section.)

This is a great recipe for picnics, and with a bit of mac-n-cheese and biscuits on the side you can't go wrong.

Buttermilk Baked Chicken
Adapted from: Everyday Food
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Ingredients:

Vegetable oil, for baking sheet

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1 cup buttermilk

1-3 teaspoons Texas Pete (or other hot-pepper sauce)

Salt and pepper

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 ½ ounces)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 pounds chicken parts (preferably legs, thighs, and wings), rinsed and patted dry

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Generously rub a baking sheet with oil.
2. In a large bowl, stir together buttermilk, hot-pepper sauce, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. In a separate bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
3. Place the chicken in the buttermilk mixture, turning to coat evenly. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from liquid, letting excess drip back into bowl; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place coated chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet. Leave enough space between the chicken pieces so that they crisp evenly all the way around.
4. Bake until chicken is golden brown, about 35 minutes.

"Oh, Canada .. With glowing hearts we see thee rise!" That's right! I'm heading to the beautiful city of Toronto this week with some of my favorite girls in the world - two of my college roommates. I'm leaving the boys behind to hold down the fort, and that means I'll also be away from Blog Land until next week. Happy Labor Day - might I suggest Buttermilk Baked Chicken for your picnics next week?