Brown Butter Rhubarb Bars

I spent my Senior year of high school in Sweden as a foreign exchange student. It was there that I first tried rhubarb. My host mother Sigrid made a rhubarb crisp for dessert one night, and I may or may not, have embarrassed myself by eating three helpings. After dinner that night Sigrid walked me to the backyard, and proudly showed me her rhubarb plants. The next day she taught me how to make her delicious crisp, and since I am a good student, I promptly began practicing on my own. We ate rhubarb four or five times a week until we exhausted the supply in the backyard. Even then, I went to the grocery store to buy more. Probably out of desperation, Sigrid introduced me to cloudberries and my obsession with rhubarb began to wane, as I became intrigued with this new berry! Though not as intense as it was when we were first introduced, my love affair with rhubarb is still going strong. Which is why this recipe caught my eye. Rhubarb jam! Hello, how had I never thought of this before. I could feed my passion for rhubarb with a simple piece of toast. Combine it with brown butter and well, all bets are off. Brown butter is another favorite of mine, but I will save my love letter about it for another day. The tanginess of the jam with the sweet nuttiness of the bar is a winning combination. I actually tripled the jam recipe and canned the extra in pint size mason jars for the next time I make these bars, or for breakfast, or to eat with a spoon when I am feeling stressed. Don't judge, it's delicious!

Brown Butter Rhubarb Bars

For the rhubarb jam
1 cup sugar
zest and juice of 2 blood oranges
1/2 vanilla bean
4 rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

For the crust
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups flour

For the brown butter filling
3 eggs
1 1/4 cup sugar
zest of 2 oranges
3/4 cup plus 2 TBSP flour
1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP unsalted butter

To make the jam put sugar, zest and juice in a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean and scrape seeds into sugar. Throw in the pod and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue cooking until the faintest bit of caramel color starts to appear around the edge of the pot. Add the rhubarb. Continue cooking stirring with a wooden spoon, until the rhubarb turns to a smooth jam, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean pod, and transfer the jam to a separate dish to cool.

For the crust, melt the butter in a saucepan, whisking frequently. Brown the butter, about five minutes. Pour into a clean dry bowl and freeze until solid, about 30 minutes. Place the powdered sugar and flour in a bowl and mix. Take out frozen butter and cut into small cubes. Cut butter into flour mixture. Press the crumbly mixture into a 9X13 pan. Press firmly and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Bake the crust at 375 for 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool.

While crust is cooling, make the filling by whisking together the eggs, sugar, zest and flour. Split and scrape the vanilla bean into a saucepan. Add the butter and melt over medium high heat. Brown the butter about five minutes. Discard the vanilla bean pod. Slowly add the brown butter into the egg mixture while whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Keep whisking until all of the butter is incorporated.

To assemble the bars spread half of the brown butter filling over the baked and cooled crust. Spoon large dollops of the rhubarb jam over the filling, reserving a quarter of the jam. Spread the remaining filling over the rhubarb, and finish by spooning smaller dollops of the reserved jam randomly over the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the filling is deep golden brown. Let cool completely.

Watermelon Barbecue Sauce

Watermelon Barbecue Sauced 1 cup diced seedless watermelon 1/2 c ketchup 2 TBSP fresh lime juice 2 TBSP dijon mustard 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar 1 TBSP light corn syrup 1/2 tsp tabasco sauce 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes Puree watermelon in blender. Strain through a sieve. Discard solids. Simmer watermelon juice, ketchup, lime juice, dijon, vinegar, corn syrup, tabasco, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes in a small saucepan for 20 minutes.

Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast Pizza

6 strips of bacon
1 recipe pizza dough (follows) shaped into 2 balls and refrigerated at least overnight
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
6 eggs
kosher salt
black pepper
2 TBSP minced flat leaf parsley
2 TBSP minced chives
2 whole scallions, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat, add bacon and fry until crisp. Drain on paper towel to remove excess fat and then chop into bite sized pieces. Reserve 1 tsp of bacon fat and saute shallot until softened.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Stretch out one ball of dough to a 10 to 12 inch round. Place dough on a pizza peel sprinkled with corn meal. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, and half of the bacon and shallots. Crack three eggs on top. Season with salt and pepper. Slide pizza onto a baking stone in an oven preheated to 450 degrees. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool two minutes and then sprinkle with half of the parsley, chives, and scallions. Serve immediately. Repeat with other ball of dough and remaining ingredients.

Grilled Shrimp and Watermelon Wedges

For the relish: 1/2 cup seeded. diced red tomato 1/2 cup seeded, diced yellow tomato 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved 1/4 cup sliced scallions 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 2 TBSP minced shallots 1 tsp dijon mustard 5 TBSP olive oil For the Salad: 4 slices seedless watermelon wedges, about 1 1/2 inch thick 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on Preheat grill to medium hugh Combine red and yellow tomatoes, olives, and scallions in a bowl. Whisk together vinegar, shallots, Dijon, and oil in a small bowl until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Pour vinaigrette over tomatoe mixture, stir to combine and set aside. Grill watermelon and shrimp until melon is marked and shrimp are pink. About 2 minutes per side. Remove from grill. Place a watermelon wedge on each plate. Top with four shrimp and tomato relish.

Brownies

I used two of the 70% cocoa bars and one of the 85% cocoa. I also used EXTRA DARK cocoa powder. I slightly adapted this recipe from a cookbook I received for Christmas. Baked New Frontiers in Baking. Totally great cookbook with lots of recipes I want to try and some beautiful photography!



The Baked Brownie

1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP dark cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9X13 pan.

Whisk together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside. Put the chocolate and butter into a large bowl, and set it over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of your bowl is not sitting in the water. Stir occasionally, until completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Whick until completely combined. Remove the bowl from the water. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Stir in the vanilla. Do not overmix here or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the choclate mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold the flour into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour is visible. Pour into the pan. Bake in the center of your oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through baking. They are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out with a few crumbs sticking to it. Do not overbake.

Santa Fe Pizza

Santa Fe Chicken Pizza


I will show you how to assemble the pizza, and all the recipes are under the pictures. The toppings make enough to cover about two twelve inch pizzas.

Sprinkle caramelized onions all over the dough. (I usually use more onions than this, but it's all I had left from the aforementioned girls night)



Add mozzarella cheese. (There is a restaurant supply store here in town that sells whole milk mozzarella for less than the low moisture variety at the regular grocery stores, so I use that. It is extremely soft, so it doesn't grate very well. I just ask them to slice it in sandwich slices and then I throw the slices on the pizza. It is so creamy and delicious when it melts!)



Next add the lime grilled chicken slices



Bake at 475 until crust is lightly golden brown and the cheese is melted. Garnish with some fresh chopped cilantro.



Let it cool for a few minutes. Slice and serve with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.



Grilled Lime Chicken

1 TBSP lime juice
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp honey
pinch cumin
pinch red pepper flakes
1 TBSP chopped cilantro
2 TBSP oil
2 chicken breast

Combine everything except the chicken, and mix well. Pour over the chicken and let marinate 20 minutes. Grill (or saute) until cooked through. Allow to rest five minutes, and then slice.


Caramelized Onions

1 1/2 TBSP butter
1 small red onion, sliced into thin rings
1/4 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce

Melt butter over medium high heat. Add onions and cook 3 minutes. Add vinegar, reduce heat to medium low and cook ten minutes. Add soy sauce and cook 5-10 minutes until nice and caramelized.

Guacamole
1 avacado
1 tsp lime juice
1 TBSP chopped scallions
1/2 tsp minced jalapeno
salt

Mash everything together and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Salsa
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced jalapeno
1 TBSP cilantro
salt

Combine and refrigerate until ready to serve. Drain any excess liquid.

Deluxe Sticky Ooey-Gooey Peanut Butter Cookies

I had a friend come over for lunch. Then while the kids played we made these cookies for enrichment later that night. This is my absolute FAVORITE cookie of all time. They are indulgent, over the top, and they never fail to make me smile.
DELUXE STICKY OOEY-GOOEY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Cookie Dough
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 TBSP vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped miniature Reese's cups

Ooey-Gooey Filling
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 TBSP light corn syrup
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350. Stack two baking sheets together and line top with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In a mixer bowl, cream butter and shortening together. Add peanut butter and both sugars. Mix well. Mix in eggs and vanilla. With a wooden spoon fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to make a soft dough. Fold in chocolate chips and peanut butter cups.

For ooey-gooey filling: In a food processor, blend all ingredients together 2 to 3 minutes to make a paste that holds together.

For each cookie, form a golf ball size round of dough. Put on prepared baking sheet and gently make a well in the middle of the cookie. Dollop a spoonful of filling in well and press down lightly.

Bake until just set. About 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 15 to 18 big cookies.

Don't be afraid to make these big. The size enhances the texture of the cookie and they look more impressive.

Think of me when you take your first bite(and when you're at the gym working off that first bite)!!!

Recipe from A Passion for Baking