Caramel Fjord Brownies

These Brownies were on the Brownie Babe of the Month over at Once upon a Tart. Myriam hosts a food-blog event for brownie recipes. There are so many amazing brownies to choose from. I saw The Left Over Queen Caramel Fjord Brownie and knew I had to try them, as I love caramel anything. I also sent in a recipe to the second event Black Forrest Brownies, they are very good brownies as well.

Caramel Fjord Brownies

Ingredients:

1 store bought German Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Devils Food Cake Mix for this one).
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 stick butter (1/2 cup) (melted)
1 cup chocolate chips ( I used semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips)
1 14 oz. package of caramels (you will need to unwrap 42 caramels)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Take the cake mix put it in a mixing bowl to this add melted butter and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk. Mix this together until smooth. If using nuts fold them into this mixture.
Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Spread 1/3 of this mixture onto the bottom of the pan, smooth mixture to an even layer. Bake for 6 minutes. Take pan out of oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over warm bottom layer.

Melt the unwrapped caramels in the microwave with 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Then pour this mixture over the chocolate chips. Then use the remaining dough and crumble it over the caramel and chocolate chips.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on baking rake completely. Then put them in frig. for 1 to 2 hours. Then you are able to cut and serve. Keep remaining brownies in fridge or you are able to freeze them.

I would highly recommend these brownies.

Certo Strawberry Jelly

On Tuesday my son Dan made Strawberry Jelly as I am not able to eat seeds. This jelly is really good. He found it on Kraftfoods.

Certo Strawberry Jelly

Ingredients

3 3/4 cups prepared juice ( 3 quarts ripe strawberries)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
7 1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
2 pouches Certo fruit Pectin

Directions:

Bring canner, half full with water, to simmer. Prepare jars for canning; wash in hot soapy water rinse in warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.

Stem and crush strawberries thoroughly, on layer at a time. Place three layers of damp cheesecloth or a jelly bag in large bowl. Pour prepared fruit into cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth closed; hang and let drip into bowl until dripping stops. Press gently. Measure exactly 3 3/4 cups juice into 6 or 8 quart saucepan. Stir in lemon juice.

The above step: Dan used the blender to liquefy the berries in about 1 cup batches. Then he put these batches into a sieve lined with 3 layers of cheesecloth and squeezed this mixture in the cheesecloth and then through the sieve, into the pot.

Stir sugar into juice in saucepan. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8" of top. Wipe jar rims. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary) Cover, bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing the middle of the lids with your finger. (if lids spring back, they are not sealed and should be put in frig).

The Best Buttermilk Pancakes

On the weekends we like to make these pancakes I found on Baking Bites blog. They are the best pancakes ever. I had been making ones from The Betty Crockers' Cookboook page 57. Called Favorite Pancakes which are very similar to these. It is interesting that recipes even though similar taste different.

The Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Heat skillet or griddle over hight heat until a drop of water placed on it skitters around the surface. Drop by spoonfuls (to make desired size) onto the preheated pan and cook until golden on both sides, turning once.
Serve with your favorite syrup.

I have also included the recipe from the Betty Crocker's Cookbook

Favorite Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. oil
1 cup flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

Beat egg: add remaining ingredients in order listed and beat with rotary beater until smooth. Grease preheated griddle. Test griddle with a few drops of water. If bubbles skitter around it is just right.

Pour batter onto hot griddle. Turn pancakes as as they are puffed and full of bubbles but before bubbles break. Bake other side until golden brown.

makes 10 - 4" pancakes

Joined Foodie Blogroll !!! :)

Jenn at The Left Over Queen has allowed me to join the Foodie Blogroll. I am so excited about it.
Jenn's blog is amazing. I have tried the Brownies (caramel fjord brownies) which I will be showing you shortly.

Have a great week everyone

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins This recipe came from Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook These are moist and keep well. We made them with cherries and they were just as good.

Ingredients

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 half-pints fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Place 16 paper liners in muffins pans.

In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add eggs 1 at a time, then add vanilla, sour cream and milk.

In separate bowl sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

With mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in blueberries with spatula and be sure batter is completely mixed.

Scoop the batter into the muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top and cake tester comes out clean.

Chinese Sweet & Sour Pork Recipe

My son made this on Monday night for dinner. It was better than what you get in the restaurant. He found the recipe on About.com.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

3/4 pound pork tenderloin
2 - 3 teaspoons soy sauce
pinch corn starch

Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water or reserved pineapple juice
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water

Batter:
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup warm water, as needed

Other:
1 Carrot
1/2 cup green pepper
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
3 cups oil for deep frying, or as needed

Preparation:

Directions for sweet and sour pork

Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. Marinate in soy sauce and cornstarch for 20 minutes.

In small bowl, combine the sugar, ketchup, dark soy sauce, salt, water or juice and vinegar. Set aside. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Set aside.

Peel the carrot and chop on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. Cut bell peppers in half, remove the seeds and cut into cubes.

Heat oil for deep frying to 375F.

For the batter, combine the flour and cornstarch. Stir in egg white and vegetable oil. Add the warm water as is needed to form a thick batter that is neither too thick or too moist. (the batter should not be runny, but should drop off the back of a spoon.)

Dip the marinated pork cubes in the batter. Deep fry in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the wok. Deep-fry until golden brown. Remove and drain onto paper towels.

To prepare the sweet and sour sauce, bring the sauce ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, green pepper, and pineapple. Bring to a boil again and thicken with cornstarch mixture. Stirring. Check the sauce one more time and adjust seasonings, adding salt and/or vinegar if desired. Serve hot over the deep-fried pork. Serve sweet and sour pork over hot cooked rice.

Browniebabe of the Month

Myriam at Once Upon a Tart has created an event in which we bake brownies. Now who does not love brownies. So, I went looking for a new recipe to try out. There were so many to choose from I asked my son to look over the ones I had chosen. Dan loves Black Forest Cake and thought The Black Forest Brownie would be a good one to start on . I found this recipe in a book called Brownies by Linda Collister. The recipe was easy to follow.


These brownies are decadent, fudgy, and when you bite into the brownie and get a cherry with the fudgy chocolate...well it is just hard to describe in words.
They would make a very romantic dessert with that special person or just sharing with family and friends.

Black Forest Brownies

8 oz. good bittersweet chocolate
9 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
3 extra-large eggs
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons superfine sugar
2 Tablespoons Kirsch or juice from cherries in jar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 ox. good bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped or 2/3 cup chocolate chips
1 16oz. can black cherries (6oz. drained weight)
confectioners' sugar, for dusting
7" X 11" brownie pan, greased and bottom line

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Break up the 8oz. chocolate and put it into a heatproof bowl. Add the butter and cream and set it over a saucepan of steaming water. Melt gently, stirring frequently. Remove from the pan and let cool until needed.

Break eggs into mixing bowl with electric mixer and whisk just until frothy. Add sugar and Kirsch (if using) and whisk until thick and mousse-like. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture.

Sift flour into mixture and stir in. When thoroughly combined stir in the chocolate pieces. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Gently drop cherries onto the top of the brownie mixture as evenly as possible.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove pan from oven.

Leave until cool before removing from pan and cutting into 24 pieces. Dusted with confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container and eat within 4 days.