*Alyssa left this morning for her last year at Tulane, so late last night while she was packing I made her her favorite brownies. I had wanted to try the Ghirardelli brownie mix and it was not a disappointment. While I am not a chocolate fan, I found this dish difficult to leave alone and thought of an enhancement which might make a really good product even better...cream cheese brownies. The same box instructions with strong brewed coffee instead of water, but then swirled into the batter at the last minute before oven time, the cream cheese recipe for cream cheese brownies.
Swirl this into the finished batter before baking:
Mr. and Mrs. T.
Another product that enhances savory dishes as well as drinks is Mr and Mrs. T's spicy bloody Mary mix. I put it in everything like stews, sauces, pasta and marinades for meat. I keep three large bottles, one in the frig, one on the bar, and one in the pantry; yes, I use it that much.
I am going through my super stacks of cookbooks here in the library and ran across La Belle Pomme cooking school recipes that Betty Rosbottom used when she ran and cooked in the Lazarus store. I loved those classes and have a big binder of her recipes many of which I remember tasting with pleasure. I made notes all over the pages and many referred to David's (our son) wedding reception which we did in our back yard with 250 .
guests.
I still remember the day we ate Betty's grilled loin lamb chops. I am not used to lamb and those tiny chops that many people use now for starters to pass at a dinner party were used in the cooking class that day. I could have eaten ten of them and the sensation lasts to this day.
Serves 8
16 loin lamb chops, excess fat trimmed
8 cloves or more of garlic (to taste)
2 T. thyme
3 T. rosemary 30 black peppercorns
1 c. virgin olive oil
With a mortar and pestle crush together the garlic, herbs, and peppercorns, adding drops of olive oil in intervals to make the marinade.
Place the lamb chops in a dish and coat with the marinade, rubbing into each side of each chop. Cover and let marinate at least one hour at room temperature or several hours under refrigeration. Bring the chops back to room temperature before proceeding.
Heat a stove top grill, Jenn-air, or outdoor grill. When hot, grill the chops 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare, seasoning each side with salt and more pepper to taste as you go. remove from the grill to serving platter and tent with foil while you finish the sauce. (We had miniature lamb chops so the cooking time was less and fast.)
Roasted garlic sauce
6 heads of garlic, separated into cloves with the skins intact olive oil
1 t. thyme or a small branch of fresh thyme
1 t. grainy mustard, preferably Moutarde de Meaux, salt and pepper
meat juices collected from the plate of grilled lamb chops
Preheat the oven to 350
Place the garlic cloves in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour olive oil over the garlic cloves just to hold them. Add the thyme to the baking dish and cover with a lid or foil tightly. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Put the garlic cloves through a food mill to separate the skins from the pulp. In a food processor, puree the garlic reserved from baking the garlic to make a smooth puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce may be made a day ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate.
Warm the sauce base in a small saucepan. Add any of the meat juices from the chops and stir or whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or mustard.
Top each chop with a spoonful of the prepared sauce or spoon a bit of the sauce on each plate and arrange the chops along-side.
I have to try this again with the tiny chops and less cooking time, of course. YUM.
The Cook's Corner is continuing with their Nov. 22nd all holiday cookie baking section and it is really special. I am entering this dessert cookie this year. I've never entered this 'contest' before. No one wins, but everyone gets to add to their extensive cookie recipe collection. I look forward to it every years. This is my second favorite cookie in the world and it is really good.
Butterscotch Dessert Cookies
If you love France be sure to read David Lebovitz. His post today is fantastic. Scroll down on the right side of my blog post and click on David Lebovitz. http://www.davidlebovitz.com/
You don't have to leave your seat to tour France with him. It's a very good post and takes some time to read and see all the great pictures of his adventure. It seems that the French are now shy about having pictures taken of their 'antiques' at flea markets. This gives me a great laugh and you might enjoy it too when you see the items they are objecting to being photographed.
Swirl this into the finished batter before baking:
Cream Cheese Layer:
8 ounces (227 grams) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
Mix to smooth and pour over brownie batter or swirl deeply into the brownie batter.
Mix to smooth and pour over brownie batter or swirl deeply into the brownie batter.
Mr. and Mrs. T.
Another product that enhances savory dishes as well as drinks is Mr and Mrs. T's spicy bloody Mary mix. I put it in everything like stews, sauces, pasta and marinades for meat. I keep three large bottles, one in the frig, one on the bar, and one in the pantry; yes, I use it that much.
I am going through my super stacks of cookbooks here in the library and ran across La Belle Pomme cooking school recipes that Betty Rosbottom used when she ran and cooked in the Lazarus store. I loved those classes and have a big binder of her recipes many of which I remember tasting with pleasure. I made notes all over the pages and many referred to David's (our son) wedding reception which we did in our back yard with 250 .
guests.
I still remember the day we ate Betty's grilled loin lamb chops. I am not used to lamb and those tiny chops that many people use now for starters to pass at a dinner party were used in the cooking class that day. I could have eaten ten of them and the sensation lasts to this day.
Serves 8
16 loin lamb chops, excess fat trimmed
8 cloves or more of garlic (to taste)
2 T. thyme
3 T. rosemary 30 black peppercorns
1 c. virgin olive oil
With a mortar and pestle crush together the garlic, herbs, and peppercorns, adding drops of olive oil in intervals to make the marinade.
Place the lamb chops in a dish and coat with the marinade, rubbing into each side of each chop. Cover and let marinate at least one hour at room temperature or several hours under refrigeration. Bring the chops back to room temperature before proceeding.
Heat a stove top grill, Jenn-air, or outdoor grill. When hot, grill the chops 4-5 minutes per side for medium rare, seasoning each side with salt and more pepper to taste as you go. remove from the grill to serving platter and tent with foil while you finish the sauce. (We had miniature lamb chops so the cooking time was less and fast.)
Roasted garlic sauce
6 heads of garlic, separated into cloves with the skins intact olive oil
1 t. thyme or a small branch of fresh thyme
1 t. grainy mustard, preferably Moutarde de Meaux, salt and pepper
meat juices collected from the plate of grilled lamb chops
Preheat the oven to 350
Place the garlic cloves in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour olive oil over the garlic cloves just to hold them. Add the thyme to the baking dish and cover with a lid or foil tightly. Bake 20 minutes or until golden. Put the garlic cloves through a food mill to separate the skins from the pulp. In a food processor, puree the garlic reserved from baking the garlic to make a smooth puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The sauce may be made a day ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate.
Warm the sauce base in a small saucepan. Add any of the meat juices from the chops and stir or whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or mustard.
Top each chop with a spoonful of the prepared sauce or spoon a bit of the sauce on each plate and arrange the chops along-side.
I have to try this again with the tiny chops and less cooking time, of course. YUM.
The Cook's Corner is continuing with their Nov. 22nd all holiday cookie baking section and it is really special. I am entering this dessert cookie this year. I've never entered this 'contest' before. No one wins, but everyone gets to add to their extensive cookie recipe collection. I look forward to it every years. This is my second favorite cookie in the world and it is really good.
Butterscotch Dessert Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon salt (I don't use that much)
1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cups nuts
Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Add dry ingredients with sour cream to butter and sugar mixture. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Stir in nuts. Chill. (Be sure to do this step.) Drop by tablespoon on to cookie sheet about 2 inches a part. Flatten slightly with back of spoon. Bake in a hot oven (400) 10 to 12 minutes but DON'T OVER BAKE, these are cake like cookies. Cool and then frost with brown butter frosting.
Brown Butter Frosting
6 tablespoons butter
3 cups sifted powered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup hot water
Brown butter over low heat. Add remaining ingredients and beat together.
This recipe is from an old friend who used to visit from a far. These cookies were like her toll to get into the house after a long drive. If she didn't have these, she didn't get to spend the week end.
You don't have to leave your seat to tour France with him. It's a very good post and takes some time to read and see all the great pictures of his adventure. It seems that the French are now shy about having pictures taken of their 'antiques' at flea markets. This gives me a great laugh and you might enjoy it too when you see the items they are objecting to being photographed.
