(Formally) Our Favorite Brownies

Stop right here. I have a better recipe than this one. It is newly discovered and posted under February, 2009. I am leaving this post here in case you have become attached to it, but really the new recipe is better.

I am posting this recipe because a friend requested it. I have to come clean though - these brownies lost (by one vote) to the Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie mix. I baked a tray of each and sent them to work with Scott. By noon the Ghirardelli brownies had earned one more vote than mine. In my defense though, my brownies disappeared first. The contest isn't over yet. Stay tuned for more brownie recipes.


Melt and set aside:
12 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken up
1 ½ cups sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

Whisk together:
1 cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Beat until foamy:
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla

Spray 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cooled chocolate mixture into eggs. Sprinkle small amount of flour mixture in chocolate mixture and fold. Repeat. Add remaining flour. Fold in until no flour appears. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake in center of oven 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center is barely moist. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Ginger and Lemon Sauce

I served these medallions with steamed rice and a side of sugar snap peas and baby corn. This was easy, nutritious, and tasted really good. I used a Hormel peppercorn pork tenderloin and omitted the salt and pepper. I also added extra brown sugar because my underdeveloped palate prefers it that way.

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound pork tenderloin trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
vegetable oil
1 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or more if you like)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped green onions

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small dish. Rub evenly over pork.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add several teaspoons of vegetable oil. Add pork medallions to pan and cook about two minutes on each side or until browned. (Don't crowd the pan or the medallions will steam). Remove pork from pan and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add 2 tablespoons onions, ginger and garlic to pan; cook 2 minutes or until fragrant, stirring constantly. Combine sherry and next 5 ingredients (through soy sauce) in a small bowl. Add sherry mixture to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
4. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pan and bring to a boil. Cook 30 seconds or until slightly thickened. Serve over pork. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup green onions.

Serves 4

Apple Pecan Salad With Cinnamon Bread Croutons

This is the perfect fall salad.  Scott told me that if he ordered this in a restaurant he would feel sorry for anyone who didn't because he wouldn't share.  Next time I am going to spray the cinnamon bread cubes with cooking spray and toast them in the oven instead of sauteing them in the pan.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups cinnamon swirl bread, cut into 1" cubes

4 strips bacon, diced

1/3 cup apple juice concentrate

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste

1/4 cups pecans (we prefer walnuts), chopped, toasted

2 cups apples (your favorite variety) thinly sliced

2 head butter lettuce, torn

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add bread cubes, stir to coat, and saute until toasted, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often.  Transfer croutons to a bowl and set aside, return skillet to the burner.

Saute bacon until crisp, then drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Pour off and reserve 1 tablespoon drippings.

Whisk drippings, juice concentrate, oil, vinegar, cinnamon, mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne together in a bowl.  Stir in pecans (or walnuts).

Toss apple slices, lettuce, bacon, and croutons with vinaigrette in a large bowl to coat, sprinkle with salt.

Serve immediately.