Fudgy Brownies

 Here’s my first warning – these are not in any way, shape, or form diet brownies, healthy brownies, or “your doctor recommended you have one a day” brownies. These are fudgy, yummy, gooey, stick-straight-to your-thighs brownies – and I don’t think there is really any other type worth eating.

Bit of advice before you start this recipe – don’t think about substituting healthier ingredients if you want the same gooey result…these are truly an indulgent brownie…aren’t you excited?!?

Fudgy Brownies Recipe

¼ c shortening (Crisco is great, and by great, I mean awful – which for this purpose makes it great)

¾ c margarine

¾ c unsweetened cocoa

2 c sugar (raw sugar is actually better – in the US, I would actually encourage you to even mix 1 c white sugar with 1 c brown sugar, since most brown sugar in the US is fairly refined)

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 ½ c flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 c chopped nuts (optional, and I would recommend walnuts)

Preheat your oven to 375F.

In a small pot, melt the shortening and margarine. In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the melted margarine & shortening – it will be a bit difficult to mix due to the viscosity of the egg mixture and the greasiness (yes, greasiness) of the margarine/shortening mixture. Continue with gentle persistence (you could apply that phrase to various situations in life, actually….I’ll leave application up to you).

Once the shortening/margarine is combined with the sugar mixture, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Now, many (ok almost all) baking recipes recommend that you combine the flour, salt, baking whatever in a separate bowl THEN add it to your wet ingredients. This is purely so you don’t get globs of salt or baking soda in your finished product. I don’t like to do dishes (unless I have someone fun to do them with, and my children aren’t pulling on my legs the whole time) so I add the flour to the wet ingredients, DON’T MIX, then put the baking whatever and salt on top of the flour & do a little ‘top mix’, if you know what I mean. After the salt & baking soda/powder is mixed in with the flour, I mix together the wet and dry ingredients. So….do that for this recipe.

Once your batter is mixed up, you can add walnuts if you like, and then…eat a bit of it.  Go ahead, it’s ok, you won’t get sick. Here’s the ish on salmonella: (disclaimer – please do your own research, as I hold no responsibility for anyone getting sick from eating raw batter.) Salmonella is an intestinal disease, and is transmitted via the fecal-oral routine (I did not come up with that name, by the way, and feel a bit uncomfortable writing it here…we’re all adults, though, you get the point). Salmonella is found on the outside of eggs, on the shell, not inside (unless of course the shell has been compromised prior to use , in which case you shouldn’t use that egg anyway). If your eggs are clean prior to use, there shouldn’t be any salmonella transmitted to your batter (I wash mine in light bleach water for 10 minutes when I first buy them…I also live in Kenya, so the eggs come a bit more dirty than they do in the US). So, go for it, eat some batter…but again, do your own research/recognize I’m not a salmonella specialist, but have just done some independent research because I LOVE eating batter…

Another note about eggs – if they have never been refrigerated, they don’t have to be. Most eggs in the US are sold from a refrigerator, so you need to keep them in your fridge. BUT, if you can find them unrefrigerated, you can keep them unrefrigerated for several weeks. In Kenya, the eggs are sold on the shelf in the grocery store, and are stored in my pantry (after being washed of course).

Okay, sorry for the egg tangent. Back to the brownies. Pour your brownie batter into a greased 9x13 pan and place in the oven. Let them bake for approximately 30 min. I say approximately because I encourage you to bake your brownies to your own gooey preference. Keep in mind the brownies will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven, and will firm up more as they cool. I find the best brownies are ones that are almost impossible to scoop out of the pan when they first come out of the oven, due to being so soft.

You can eat immediately, but you’ll probably need a fork and a napkin or you can let cool for a bit until the brownies have firmed up a bit.

A couple warnings:

If you use too much flour, this recipe ends up being quite cakey, and not nearly as good. I actually recommend, especially in the US, using  about ¼ c LESS flour. Also, if you use butter and oil, all oil, orange juice, or some other healthier substitute for the fatty ingredients, your brownies will not turn out like the original recipe. Feel free to experiment, and let me know if you come up with a deliciously healthy substitute. I’m all for healthy eating, but do believe some food items have no hope of being healthy and should just be enjoyed as a moment of indulgence.

Enjoy!!!

Homemade Salsa

 This recipe is one of my all time favorites because it’s so easy, yields a high quantity, and has a refrigerator life of almost 3 months.

Using fresh ingredients will produce a higher quality taste, and I recommend playing around with various quantities of the veggies and peppers to acquire your preferred veggie to spicy ratio.

Homemade Party Salsa

6 c tomatoes - chopped

3 c mixed red/yellow/green peppers – chopped

1 ½ c onion – chopped

3 cloves garlic - chopped

1 ½ c cider vinegar

1 ½ tsp paprika

1 ½ tsp oregano

2 t salt

1 t cumin

1 t seasoning salt (optional)

½ tsp thyme

½ c fresh cilantro

4-8 thumb size hot peppers without seeds (type and variety depending on your preferred spiciness)

5 ½ oz tomato paste

Combine all ingredients except the tomato paste & cilantro in a large stockpot.  Mix well. Use an immersion blender to blend the salsa to your preferred chunkiness, be sure you don’t scrape away the protective coating on the bottom of your pan. If you don’t want to risk it, just mix up your salsa in a glass bowl and transfer it to a stock pot once you’ve blended to your desired consistency.

By the way, if you don’t have an immersion blender I highly recommend you purchase one – they make blending everything incredibly easy – especially soups, guacamole, refried beans, and other creamy textured things. Plus your mess is minimized dramatically. So, if you don’t have one already, go get one! And for now, use your regular blender to blend your salsa in batches.

If your salsa is not in a large stock pot already, transfer it to one and turn the heat on. High is fine. At this point, check your salsa to see if it’s too watery. If it is, add the tomato paste – I recommend adding half a can at a time so you don’t make your salsa too thick. If it’s still too watery after using the whole can, feel free to add some more, though I wouldn’t do more than an additional 5 ½ oz can as your salsa may come out more like a pasta red sauce.

Once your salsa reaches a bubble, turn the heat down to simmer for the next 30-45 min. Leave it covered if you love the consistency, if it’s too watery, leave the lid off for a while. Stir periodically and reduce the heat if your salsa is thickening to the bottom of the pan.

After 30-45 min (the longer you let it simmer, the more the flavors blend and the more thick it will be). Add the cilantro and let cool for 30-45 min. Transfer the salsa to glass storing jars, seal tightly, and store in the back of your fridge (coldest part).

Plan a taco night and enjoy!

A couple additional notes:

* this recipe works best for a very smooth salsa. If you like a more chunky salsa, I would recommend using a food processor to chop your ingredients to the consistency you would prefer, then add 1 c of cider vinegar, the seasonings, and half of the tomato paste.  Use the remaining tomato paste and cider vinegar to achieve an ideal consistency

* I have successfully canned this salsa and left it on the shelf for close to a year – if you’re into canning, this recipe is a winner and you can have fresh salsa even during those winter months!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I look forward to your comments and if you have any, please post questions. I’m still learning how to do this ‘kitchen blog’ thing, and am happy to clarify any unclear directions!

Happy salsa-ing!

Xoxo

Sarah

Easy Homemade Bagels

These bagels are delicious, truly delicious. Let me give my preemptive acknowledgement to the website where I found the original recipe. I did tweak it a bit, which makes me feel justified in re-posting this recipe.

Making bagels, contrary to popular belief, is quite easy and exceptionally affordable. The only trick is activating yeast and fine tuning your bagel rolling. Otherwise, it's quite straight forward - and I'll give you tips on the other two.

I'm writing this cooking blog with the assumption some people may be new cooks and need a bit more information. Therefore I will give a lot of details; sorry if it seems a bit verbose.

A couple cooking tips in general:

* Read through the entire recipe before you begin cooking; it can save you a lot of headache & frantic runs to the grocery store.

* Pull out all your ingredients & baking utensils beforehand - there's nothing worse than trying to get a clean spoon out of the drawer with dough all over your hands.

* Clean as you go - if you're waiting on your dough to rise, use the opportunity to rinse or wash your dishes, put away items you're finished with, etc.

* Do all necessary prep work - grease your pans ahead of time, get toppings spread out on plates ahead of time - it will make your whole cooking process more smooth.

Alright - to the bagels:

Ingredients:

4c flour

1 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) salt

1 1/4 to 1 1/2c warm water

2  tsp yeast

1 Tablespoon (Tbs) sugar
1 Tbs oil (I prefer olive oil, but any kind would work)

Step One: If you don't have warm water on tap, warm some water. Combine the yeast & sugar in a small bowl.  In a separate container measure your water - making sure it is the correct temperature to activate yeast. My general rule of thumb for activating yeast - you want the water to be hot enough that when you stick your finger in the water this thought goes through your mind: "yeah, that's pretty warm but I can leave my finger in there. Should I take my finger out? No, it's not too warm, I'm good." If you generally can stand water a lot hotter than other people, take that into consideration when you activate your yeast.

Many people are terrified of activating yeast, and therefore miss out on all the wonderful goodies you can make (cinnamon rolls, homemade bread, hamburger buns). It's really not that hard. Just think of it as it is - yeast is a living organism that is essentially in 'hibernation' when you buy it from the store. When you put warm water on it, the yeast 'wakes up' - the sugar combined with the yeast (especially if it's not quick rising) gives the yeast something to eat, literally...therein making it 'activate'. You can do it. I promise.

Step two: add 1 cup of your warm water to your yeast (save the other 1/2 c for later), pouring in a circular slow motion to 'mix-in' the yeast & sugar. Many people add the yeast & sugar to their water - I find this results in a layer of unactivated yeast on the top of the water, and the need to stir it, which I've found can damage the yeasts ability to activate. The water-poured-on-top method works every time.

It should look about like this. Now just leave it alone & combine your salt & flour in another, larger bowl.

  

As your yeast activates, it should begin to bubble and foam at the top. Don't worry if it's not super tall at first, if your yeast has activated, you'll know.

 Step 3: Add 1 Tbs oil to your yeast mixture, then pour your yeast mixture into the pre-measured flour & salt. Start mixing, gradually kneading in all the flour. You may need to add the remaining 1/2 c water, but do so slowly as this bagel recipe is so good because the dough is not too wet.

 

Step 4: After you've mixed in all the flour, knead your dough for ten minutes. You really want to do a full ten minutes as this will help everything mix well and will contribute to smoother, yummier bagels. 

 Step 5: After ten minutes of kneading, separate your dough into 8 equal pieces. I usually form mine into a log and cut in halves until I have 8 pieces.

 Space your 8 pieces apart, as they will rise a bit, and cover lightly with a bit of olive oil. I find if you don't grease them, they become incredibly dry & won't roll as nicely. Cover with a towel and let rise for 10 - 20 min. If you really prefer not to use oil, you could alternately get your towel slightly damp before using it to cover the bagels - just make sure it's not too wet.

 

Use this time to do a bit of clean up, and prep for your next stage which is the rolling phase. You'll need some clean counter space.  

Step 6: After the bagels have risen for 10-20 min, roll each piece out using two flat hands. Remember when you were a kid and you would make a snake using playdough? That's what you're doing again. Make your 'snake' a bit wider than your two hands (if you have large hands, or very tiny hands, take this into consideration). After you have your 'snake', join the head & the tail together, pinching them to remove any seams in the dough. This is the trickiest part of making bagels, don't worry if they're a bit misshapen or still have some of a seam.

 

Obviously, I'm still perfecting mine too. 

Step 7: Once you have them all shaped like bagels, again let them rise for about 20 min. No oil is necessary at this stage, but you should still cover them with a towel to keep them moist. While your bagels are rising, fill a large size pot with water, add 1 Tbs of sugar or molasses and bring to a boil. Preheat your oven to approx 400F or 200C. 

Step 8: After your bagels have finished rising, gently lift them from the counter and place them gently in the boiling water. You can do more than one at a time, just make sure your bagels aren't too crowded as they will get a bit bigger during this stage.

 

Boil your bagels for 1 min, then flip, boiling on the other side for another minute. Remove using a slotted spoon, or something similar and allow to 'dry' for a minute or two on a drying rack. Continue with the rest of your bagels. 

 

If you would like toppings on your bagels (I did sesame seeds and poppy seeds), dip the bagels lightly in the topping before placing topping side up on a greased baking sheet.  Otherwise, just transfer directly to the baking sheet.

 

Your bagels can be relatively close together as they won't get much bigger in the oven.

 Step 9: Once your baking sheet is full, place in the oven and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes, until the bottom is nicely browned. Flip over and let bake for another five to ten minutes. 

 

Step 10: Remove from the oven and place bagels on a cooling rack - serve warm or put them in sealed container or bag to use throughout the week! Counter life is about 1 week, fridge life would be a bit longer. I also have half a dozen in the freezer right now, and assume they will last up to a month or two. 

 I've made this recipe 4 times now, and feel like I have it fairly perfected. A couple tips: don't make your dough too dry, don't make your snake too long or your bagels will be too thin & crunchy, don't bake them too long on either side or you'll end up more with bagel chips, and put in a sealed container shortly after they've cooled or they will dry out. 

Other recommended toppings: sauteed onions & garlic, other seeds, cheese (though I would sprinkle this on top of the bagel, rather than dipping the bagel in it). 

Dough variations: whole wheat bagels - use 1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, and 2 2/3 c white flour

cinnamon raisin bagels - after your dough is formed, add approx 2 tsp cinnamon & 1/3 c raisins to your kneading process

honey wheat bagels - add 2 Tbs honey to your yeast mixture at the same time you add the oil - reduce oil amount to 1 tsp rather than 1 Tbs, use whole wheat flour ratios (above)

jalapeno cheese bagels - add 1/3 c chopped jalapenos to the kneading process (as with cinnamon raising bagels) and sprinkle formed bagels with cheese just prior to baking

I'm sure there are many other alterations you could make to your dough (blueberry, anyone?) and to your toppings. If you are a new break maker, I would recommend making a fairly straight forward first batch and expanding from there - it will just be a bit less overwhelming. 

Please feel free to pass on any suggestions and feedback. Happy bagel making!! 

Next recipe up will be homemade passion juice for all you living near the equator!

The intro

Welcome to my kitchen!! I absolutely love to cook & create - it's my mode of expression & creativity. My number one rule - you are as a good of a cook as you believe yourself to be. My number two rule - if no one likes to come over for dinner, you might want to revisit the level of your belief in number one.

If you can read - you can cook. And if you enjoy food, and all the variety there is to it, you can be a very good cook. The only bad cooks I've met are the ones that don't enjoy eating. Someone who hates reading wouldn't be a good writer - so someone who just eats to meet their nutritional needs? Not gonna be a good cook.

With that said, if you just kinda like eating you can still be a great cook - and my advice? Slow down, really taste your food - there's so much enjoyment to be had!

I'll work on organizing this blog better as I go, and can't promise any huge frequency of posts, but I will do my best! Please feel free to post feedback, questions, or tips on how I can improve my own kitchen. Note: I am currently living in Nairobi, Kenya. Therefore, some of my recipes may not be universal, and some of the recipes I really wish I could indulge in are just not possible here. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy these recipes immensely!

Please feel free to pass them to others, duplicate them, tweak them to your own liking, or never make them! I'll try to give credit where credit is due when I acquire a recipe from someone or somewhere else - my apologies if  I don't always do this correctly!

Enjoy the process of discovering or expanding your own culinary genius! Recipes to come soon!

xo - sarah