Best Fudgiest Brownies

Perfect crisp crackly top, super fudgy center, chewy and gooey in all the right places, studded with melted chunks of chocolate!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 cup  packed light brown sugar
• 4  large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup good quality, unsweetened cocoa powder
• 7 oz roughly chopped chocolate or large chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 175°C | 350°F.
• Lightly grease an 8x12-inch baking pan* with cooking oil spray. Line with parchment paper (or baking paper); set aside.
• Combine melted butter, oil and sugars together in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk well to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until lighter in color (another minute).
• Sift in flour, cocoa powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until JUST combined (do NOT over beat as doing so well affect the texture of your brownies).
• Fold in 3/4 of the chocolate pieces.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly, and top with remaining chocolate pieces.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes for just under-done brownies (fudgier texture) or until the center of the brownies no longer jiggles and is JUST set to the touch.
  OR 35-40 minutes if you like your brownies well set and firm.NOTE: Brownies will continue baking and set in the hot pan out of the oven. If testing with a toothpick, the toothpick should come out dirty for fudge-textured brownies.
• After 15-20 minutes, carefully remove them out of the pan and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing into 16 brownies. They set while they cool.
  
  ENJOY!

OPTIONAL ADD INS:

• Crushed walnuts, peanuts, almonds, pecans, etc. Chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, shredded coconut, dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, etc)

STORING:

• Store at room temperature for 3 days, or refrigerator for up to 5 days. These brownies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving OR reheat in the microwave.

Notes

*For thicker brownies, bake in a 7x11-inch pan for 40-45 minutes. For thinner brownies, bake in a 9x13-inch pan for 18-20 minutes.

PLEASE NOTE: An 8x12-inch pan bakes the most perfect brownies -- thickness and texture.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

1. Do NOT over beat your batter once the flour and cocoa powder are added. That creates air pockets in the batter which will give you cake-like textured brownies.
2. Please try not to over bake them. Set a timer if you need too. I like mine at exactly 23 minutes in an 8x12-inch pan. You can go a little bit over if you like them set a bit more, but I don't recommend it if you're looking for the fudgiest brownies in the world. Remember, they will continue to bake slightly in the hot pan once pulled out of the oven,
3. I bake my brownies on the top shelf in the oven. I find the middle shelf cooks them a lot faster, slightly burns them on the top and dries them out.

From Karina at Cafe Delites

Creamy Garlic Chicken Breasts

Tried and True  ~Shelly

Chicken Breasts in an irresistible garlic sauce 

filled with caramelized onions and garlic.

Ready in less than 30 minutes and perfect for any night of the week…even special occasions! 

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN BREAST

• You’re going to start with thin chicken breasts. For a faster prep-time, cut your chicken breasts in half horizontally to make four fillets.  Quicker and easier than pounding them thin with a meat mallet and yields the same results. Thinner chicken pieces cook faster and evenly.
• Use a combination of oil and butter to fry the chicken for the best golden browned results and delicious flavor.
• Cook the sauce in the same pan as the chicken. Don’t get rid of any chicken bits from the pan as they add tons of flavor into the sauce!

COOKING WITH GARLIC

The beauty of this chicken breast recipe is that the garlic is NOT overpowering AT ALL! The secret to having SO much garlic without being overly pungent is caramelising the cloves (some smashed and some whole) in chicken stock (or broth) for 5-6 minutes over medium heat. This allows the garlic to soften beautifully with a hint of sweetness.

GARLIC FLAVOR

YOU can make this as garlicky as you want! How? For a stronger garlic flavor, smash all of your cloves with a heavy knife. Place the blade flat on the clove (sharp side facing away from you) and press the blade down on the clove with the heel of your hand. 

The garlic cloves are lightly browned in a little oil along with softened onion in buttery pan juices before being gently simmered in chicken stock. 

For a much milder sauce, add the garlic cloves whole.

TIPS

• You can use heavy cream, whipping cream or thickened cream in the sauce.
• For a lightened up sauce, use evaporated milk or half and half. If using half and half, be careful not to bring your sauce to a rapid boil or it may curdle.
• The sauce will not thicken immediately after adding in your cream. Once you add your chicken breasts back into the pan, the flour from the chicken will thicken your sauce. No cornstarch needed.  

SIDES THAT GO WITH CREAMY GARLIC CHICKEN BREASTS

We love this chicken breast recipe with steamed rice or mashed potatoes.

You can also serve it over pasta, cauliflower mash or zucchini noodles.

Ingredients - Serves 4

For The Chicken:

• 2-3 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 4
• 4 tablespoons flour (all purpose or plain)
• 4 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Black cracked pepper

For The Sauce:

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 whole head of garlic peeled and divided into 10-12 cloves
• 1 1/4 cup chicken broth (stock)
• 1 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream (or evaporated milk)
• 1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, to serve

Instructions

• Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder and pepper.
• In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, Parmesan cheese. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture; shake off excess.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl pan to coat evenly. 
• Fry 2-3 chicken breasts until golden on each side, cooked through and no longer pink (about 4-5 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer to a warm plate. Set aside.
• Wipe pan over with a sheet of paper towel. Repeat with remaining oil, butter and chicken breasts. When cooked, transfer the chicken onto the same plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Sauté the onion in the remaining oil/juices in the pan until softened. 
• Smash 6 whole cloves of garlic with the blunt edge of the back of a knife 
• Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat through, mixing it through the onions. Sauté smashed garlic cloves and whole garlic cloves until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the broth to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any browned bits and let simmer and reduce to half, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the cream. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for about 2-3 minutes, combining all of the flavours together.
• Mix in the Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking gently for about 2-3 minutes until cheese melts, while stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. 
• Add the chicken back into the pan and let simmer for a further 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce to your liking. The chicken breast will soak up all of the delicious flavors.
• Garnish with parsley and a little black cracked pepper. 

  Serve over pasta, cauliflower mash, zucchini noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1205mg | Potassium: 403mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 710IU | Vitamin C: 10.3mg | Calcium: 285mg | Iron: 1mg

From Karina at: Cafe Delites

Light Chicken Piccata

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons flour, divided
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan Cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons capers (optional)
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon tarragon

Directions

1.Whisk 2 tablespoons flour and 1 cup broth in a small bowl until smooth. Place remaining 2 tablespoons flour and the Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and dredge both sides in the flour. Shake to remove excess.

2.Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown or no longer pink in the middle (2-5 minutes per side). Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

3.Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the shallots and white wine, and cook until reduced by half (this should take about 1 to 2 minutes).

4.Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture and the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring until the sauce is thickened (about 5 minutes). Stir in the tarragon, parsley, butter, and capers.

5.Serve chicken with a light salad or pasta. pour sauce over chicken.

Recipe
From: 12Tomatoes.com

Slow Roasted Bone In Boston Butt

Make this Boston Butt recipe when you have the time to slow roast it in the oven. The lemon and herbs flavor the meat while the low temperature makes for a succulent and tender pork dish.

Ingredients

• 1 (5-lb.) bone-in pork shoulder roast (Boston butt)
• 2 lemons, halved and divided
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 garlic bulb, unpeeled
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Garnishes: roasted garlic cloves, baby carrots, radishes, lettuce leaves

How to Make It

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°. Rub 1 lemon half on all sides of pork roast, squeezing juice from lemon. Stir together oregano, salt, and pepper; rub on roast.

Step 2

Place roast on a lightly greased rack in a roasting pan. Separate garlic cloves (do not peel), and place around roast. Drizzle olive oil over roast and garlic cloves.

Step 3

Squeeze juice from remaining 1 1/2 lemons into a bowl. Stir together juice and chicken broth; pour into roasting pan.

Step 4

Bake at 350° for 3 hours to 3 1/2 hours or until fork tender. Shred pork into large pieces using two forks, if desired. Garnish, if desired.

Garlic Butter Baked Pork Chops with 2 sides

Garlic Butter Baked Pork chops are juicy, tender, and super flavorful thanks to the amazing butter sauce.

INGREDIENTS
2 medium sized Pork Chops
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Tablespoons butter - melted
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme - chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, thyme, and garlic.  Set aside.
4. In a cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
5. When the skillet is really hot, add the pork chops.  Sear until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
6. Pour garlic butter mixture over the pork chops.
7. Place the skillet in the oven, and cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145 F, about 10-12 minutes.  The time depends on the thickness of the pork chops.*
8. Remove from the oven.  Using a spoon, pour some of the butter sauce left in the skillet onto the pork chops before serving.

*  Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the pork chop.

CRISPY ROASTED GREEN BEANS

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds green beans - trimmed
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt and fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Place a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes
3. In a medium bowl, place the green beans and all the remaining ingredients.
4. Mix well.
5. Arrange the seasoned green beans in a single layer on the preheated baking sheet.
6. Bake for about 8 minutes or until crisp tender.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH MASH

INGREDIENTS
1 butternut squash
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 gloves garlic - minced
4 Tablespoons butter
Salt and black pepper
cayenne pepper for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.  Set aside
3. Wash and cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise.  Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds.
4. Place both halves face up on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic.
6. Roast in the oven for 45 - 60 minutes until fork tender.
7. Remove the squash from the oven, and let cool for about 5 minutes.
8. Using a large spoon, remove all of the squash flesh from the skin, and place it into a bowl for mashing.
9. Add the butter, sea salt and pepper, and mash well until fluffy and smooth.  I like to use a hand mixer.
10. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper and butter for extra flavor before serving.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

When I was growing up, this was my father's favorite cake.  So mother made it often.
I haven't had it lately, so maybe it's time to make it again.  How about you?   ~Shelly

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

9 slices pineapple in juice (from 20-oz can), drained

9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired

1 1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

Steps

Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.

In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.

************************

Considered a classic American cake, pineapple-upside down cake first appeared when canned pineapple become available. But the method of creating a lusciously caramel-like topping for a cake, pastries (like caramel rolls), or bread has a long baking history.

Update this cake by using sliced fresh pineapple, peaches, apples or pear with fresh chopped herbs or dried spices added to the brown sugar and butter mixture.

Keep the ratio of butter and brown sugar fairly low, enough to create the rich syrup in the pan, but not so much that the flavor of the fruit is lost.

Skip the brightly colored cherries and replace them with candied or crystallized ginger pieces or a cluster of blueberries or cranberries.

The cake needs to be turned out of the pan shortly after it’s removed from the oven or the fruit will stick. Be armed with hot pads and a cake plate or board. Allow the fruit to stop bubbling, then place the plate on top of the pan. Carefully lift up the pan, holding the plate firmly in place, and invert the pan. Let it stand for a few minutes before lifting the pan off.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce with Garlic

I googled homemade Alfredo sauce this past week and this was the recipe that I used.

I put it over spaghetti noodles, because I didn't have fettuccine noodles on hand.

Then I sautéed scallops and shrimp for a wonderful meal!

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons salted butter

2 large garlic cloves

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving

1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt your butter in a 2-quart sauce pan over medium-high heat. Press your garlic and add it to the melted butter, stirring a bit. Let it cook for 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
2. Lower the heat to medium and stir the cream into your garlic mixture. Add your salt and pepper and stir to combine.
3. Let the cream come to a low boil, while stirring frequently.
4. Then lower the heat and let the pot simmer, stirring frequently, for 8-10 minutes, or until the cream thickens. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Turn off the heat and move your Alfredo pot to a cool burner. Gradually stir in your fresh Parmesan and Romano.
6. Place the pot over low heat and stir until the sauce is thickened further. It is done when you push your spoon along the bottom of the pan and can see the bottom of the pan. It will take a few minutes.
7. The sauce will thicken even more as it sits.
8. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days.

NOTES

It's important to use freshly grated Parmesan and Romano, so the cheese will melt smoothly. (Don't use the cheese sold in a can, or the sauce will be grainy.) 

This sauce makes enough for one pound of pasta. You can easily cut the sauce recipe in half for 8 ounces of pasta. Note that your sauce will take less time to come to a boil and thicken.

To reheat leftover Alfredo pasta, drizzle on a little olive oil before microwaving it, so the pasta isn't dry.