| A few recipes (don't knock 'em till you've tried 'em) |
| Blueberry Muffins 1 stick of butter 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 tsp grated lemon rind 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup wheat/grain flour 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 cup milk 2 1/2 cups blueberries Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beat more. Add baking powder, mix well. Ad vanilla and lemon rind, mix well. In another bowl, combine flours and cinnamon Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the batter, mix, add the milk, mix without a beater. Add the rest of dry ingredients, mix, fold in blueberries. Put in lightly greased muffin tins, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes. |
| The Best Chocolate Brownies. Ever. 3 sticks butter, cut into pieces 12 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped 6 large eggs 1 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising) 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsweetened Cocoa powder (not Dutch process) 3 cups sugar Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 13x9x2 inch metal baking pan, knocking out excess flour. Melt butter with chocolate in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from pan and whisk in eggs, 1 at a time. Sift together flour and cocoa powder in a separate bowl and stir into batter with the sugar. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven until top is firm and a tester inserted into center comes out with crumbs adhering, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours before cutting into squares. |
| Shrimp Creole (for vegetarians, omit shrimp and use vegetarian Worcestershire sauce) 1 stick of butter 2 cups chopped yellow onions 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup chopped celery 2 tsp salt 3/4 tsp cayenne 2 bay leaves Two 28oz cans crushed tomatoes 1 Tbsp chopped garlic 2 Tbsp all purpose flour 1/4 cup water 2 1/2 pounds medium-size shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp hot sauce 1/2 cup chopped green scallions (green part only) 2 Tbsp parsley |
| In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery and season with 1 tsp of the salt and 1/2 tsp of the cayenne. Cook, stirring, until the begetables are wilted, about 10 minutes. Stir in the bay leaves, tomatoes, garlic and 1/2 tsp of the salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine the flour and water in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Add to the tomato mixture and continue to cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the shrimp with the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of cayenne. Add to the pan along with the Worcestershire and hot sauce and cook over medium heat until the shrimp turn pink and curl slightly, 4-6 minutes. Stir in the green onions and parsley. Keep warm over very low heat. |