Fudgy Peppermint Brownies

If you google how to bake brownies in a skillet you will find recipes that actually cook in the oven in a skillet rather than a recipe you can cook in a skillet on the stove top. Why bother unless you’re going to serve the brownies to your guests in the pan? I’m talking about actually BAKING them in a skillet on the stove top. This makes them super fudgy but a little difficult to get out of the pan so be sure to use a good nonstick skillet. Here are two recipes, one traditional and one cooked in a skillet (a cheater recipe as I used a box mix-yes a box!) You decide which one works for you!

Fudgy Peppermint Skillet Brownies

This recipe yields 2 pans of yummy, fudgy brownies using an 11″ skillet (w/lid) or sauté pan.

1 box brownie mix, plus ingredients on box
¼- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
peppermint candies, crushed

Mix brownies according to package directions, adding peppermint extract.

Add ½ of the batter to skillet and stir it around over low to medium heat while it ‘bakes’ and solidifies. Cover and cook over low heat for approximately 10 minutes or until the sides start to crisp. Add candies to the top of the brownies, turn off heat and let the pan sit for about 5 minutes before cutting.

Fudgy Brownies

1 cup flour
¾ cup Dutch cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
3 lg. eggs
½ cup butter, melted (8 Tb)
¼ cup oil, vegetable, olive or flavored olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla, substitute any flavored extract
¼ cup chopped nuts, chocolate chips, peppermint pieces etc.

Preheat the oven to 375° and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

Add all the ingredients to a large bowl in the order they are listed. Stir together and beat until the mixture is smooth. Mix in nuts, chips etc. that you’d like to use.

Spoon into the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes, or until just barely beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, remove from oven and let cool.

Cooking From The Pantry

11 / 9 / 1711 / 9 / 17

Easier than pie recipe for seasonal sweets. Great on the buffet table, to take to a pot luck or just for an afternoon snack.

Pumpkin-Cranberry Bars

My aunt-in-law gave me this great recipe and I’ve adapted it by adding cranberries and powdered sugar frosting; although the bars a great without a frosting too!

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves etc.)
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit
2 eggs
¾ cups sugar
½ cup canola oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 350 °.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, baking spice and salt. Stir in cranberries; set aside.

Using an electric mixer beat together eggs, sugar and oil; add pumpkin puree and mix until just blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Spread mixture into a 9 x 11” pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Frosting:

In a small bowl, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Drizzle in milk, stirring until you have a smooth mixture.

Cut the bars and place them on a cooling rack over a piece of parchment paper. Drizzle with the powdered sugar frosting and let set for a few minutes.

You can purchase a baking spice from Penzeys, you won’t regret it. Replace all your ingredients, nutmeg, cinnamon etc. with the baking spice for an extra special flavor!

September Cooking Demo

8 / 4 / 16

Join us in Seal Beach

Thursday September 15th 6:30 – 8:30

Oven Dried Tomato Crostata with Fresh Ricotta

Hearts of Romaine Salad with Fresh Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Pork Milanese with Meyer Lemon & Chopped Tomato ‘Salsa’

Cheese Tortellini Alfredo with Broccoli Rabe

Peach Amaretti Crisp

Temecula Olive Oil Tasting Room

Seal Beach

Call Now for reservations
562-296-5421

Galette, Crostata or Tart

6 / 24 / 16

Galettes, Crostata and Tarts are similar in nature, they all can be sweet or savory and they all have a tasty butter crust. Really the only difference is Galettes (French) and Crostata’s (Italian) are free form on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment. A tart is always cooked inside a ring or a tart pan so the sides are nice and neat and usually scalloped. There, that’s it!

Whatever you call them this is the best time of year to make them with all the wonderful fresh fruit at the farmers market. You can use any kind of fruit which makes this recipe so versatile and the crust is easy to make. Make some dough ahead of time, wrap it well in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2 months, defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Please don’t buy frozen pie dough from the market, you’ll be disappointed in the finished product. Most of them have no butter in them which is what makes this crust so flaky and tasty. It’s easy to do in a food processor, try it this weekend.

Rustic Fruit Galette

Notes:
Flour can absorb water from the air so on hot dry days the flour may take more water to come together than on a humid day. Always fluff your flour by swiping a knife through it to lighten it, flour compacts as it sits. Unless you weigh your flour this is the best method to ensure you get an even product every time you bake.
The dough can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 2 months.

1 cup sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon. salt
2 sticks cold butter, cut into small pieces
4 tbsp. ice water
1-1½ cups berries or any fruit mixture
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tbsp. milk or cream

Place ½ cup of the sugar, all the flour and salt into the bowl of a food processor, pulse to mix briefly, add the butter and pulse until butter is the size of peas. Pour the mixture into a bowl and begin to add the ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. Divide into two and form a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or parchment and chill for 1 hour.

Cut any pieces of large fruit into pieces and mix together in a bowl with ½ the remaining sugar (1/4 cup). Refrigerate until ready to bake tarts.

Preheat the oven to 450°.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Take the dough out of the refrigerator one disc at a time. Roll into a round ¼” thick on a rol mat or floured surface and place on the parchment, repeat with the other disc. Use as little flour as possible to roll out the dough.

Split the berry mixture into the center of each round leaving a 1 ½” border around the edge. Fold up the edges pleating or folding to cover most of the fruit. Brush the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle the remaining sugar over the dough.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned, cool and serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

March Cooking Class

3 / 15 / 163 / 15 / 16

Demo Cooking Class

We still have some spaces for our March 24th class! Sign up today!

March Menu

Leek Tart with Goat Cheese & Olives

Pork Scallopini with Leek Caper Vinaigrette

Olive Oil & Herb Roasted Winter Vegetables

Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding

Sea Salt Caramel Apple Cake in a Jar

Class Dates:

Seal Beach Tasting Room

Thursday, March 10th SOLD OUT!

Catch the same menu on Thurs. March 24th

6:30-8:30, approximately

Call (562) 296-5421 for reservations

Temecula Tasting Room

Saturday, March 12th 12 – 2, approximately

Call (866) 654-8396 for reservations

Photo: Bill Granger’s Leek Tart

Strawberry Brownie Bites

2 / 23 / 16

This is a recipe that we prepared in our Feb. classes and I’ve updated the brownie recipe to a new one that I really prefer. The recipe is from King Arthur Flour Co. If you’ve never been to their website, you should really treat yourself! Enjoy!

1 cup unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts, optional
Cheesecake filling
12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
¼ - ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup strawberry jam
1 pint strawberries, halved

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan or a 9" x 13" pan. For guaranteed easy removal of the brownies, line the greased pan with parchment, and grease the parchment.

In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar, stirring to combine. Remove from heat.

Stir in the cocoa, espresso powder, salt, baking powder, and vanilla.

Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth.

Add the flour, chips, and optional nuts, again stirring until smooth.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the brownies for 28 to 34 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and barely set in the center.

Remove the brownies from the oven, and cool for at least 1 hour before cutting.

Use a 1 1/2" round cutter to cut as many circles as possible (about 46) out of the brownies in a 10" x 15" pan. You'll get about 38 from a 9" x 13" pan. Wrap well; enjoy the leftover scraps.

Filling

Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and strawberry puree until smooth.

Once the brownies have cooled, pipe the cheesecake filling into the center and top with the strawberry. Top with the halved strawberries, serve immediately. For a great topping marinated the strawberries in some quality balsamic vinegar for about ½ hour!

Store all ingredients separately if serving at a later time.

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Pumpkin Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

10 / 18 / 1511 / 20 / 15

I served this last night at The Aquarium of the Pacific’s Sea Fare fund raising event and it was declared by the President of the Aquarium ‘the best food at the event’. Now that was very nice of him but there was some really tasty food there from local restaurants. It was a wonderful event with music, food and wine and lots of grateful fishes. Thanks to everyone who came out and those who stopped by my booth, I’m happy you enjoyed the cake! And you can learn how to make this cake and more at my cooking classes here in Seal Beach at Temecula Olive Oil‘s tasting room, click on Nov. for the upcoming menu!

Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake

Try different flavored olive oils for this cake. Orange, lemon or a lightly flavored olive oil, don’t use a big heavy tasting oil as it will overpower the pumpkin and spice in the cake.
You could make this cake into a sheet cake, round cakes or even cupcakes; just remember to adjust the cooking time.

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup olive oil
3 eggs
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin (or 2 cups freshly roasted sugar pumpkin)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 package cream cheese, room temperature
1 splash of vanilla, optional

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves.

Combine sugar and oil in a large bowl with a rubber spatula until blended.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin in three batches, beating

well after each addition.

Transfer to a greased Bundt cake pan.

Bake 60-65 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool for approximately 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.

Remove pan carefully from cake and cool completely.

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat at low speed until sugar is incorporated.

Increase speed to medium high and beat until frosting is light and whipped, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use to top cookies, cupcakes, or cakes

Apple Recipes

10 / 6 / 1510 / 6 / 15

Apple, Pomegranate & Gorgonzola Salad

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 apple, tart
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
Pomegranate seeds
Salad greens

Whisk the vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Slice the apple into matchsticks.

Crumble the Gorgonzola cheese into small pieces.

Place your salad greens in a large bowl and toss with the seeds, pine nuts, cheese and apples, reserving a few of all the add-ins. Adjust the seasoning to your liking. Drizzle a little of the dressing onto the greens and toss gently. Drizzle just enough dressing onto the salad to lightly coat the leaves - not too much. Add additional salt and pepper if you like and scatter the reserved toppings over the salad.

Applesauce

3 pounds apples, Gala, Honeycrisp or Jonagold
2/3 cup apple juice, orange juice or water
8 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Core, peel and cut the apples into medium sized pieces. Place all ingredients into a saucepan with lid and simmer over low heat until apples are very tender, about 45 minutes. Put through a food mill to create a soft creamy applesauce or use a potato masher and serve chunky, best served warm.

Blackberry Crumb Bars

5 / 26 / 155 / 26 / 15

Blackberry Crumb Bar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, and
1/2 cup (1 stick), room temperature, plus more for pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon Grand Marnier or pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
10 ounces blackberries

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter an 8-inch square-baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter and flour paper, tapping out excess.

Make topping:

In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; add 1 cup flour, and mix with a fork until large moist crumbs form. Refrigerate topping until ready to use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly in pan; sprinkle with blackberries, then chilled topping.

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45. Cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface and cut into 16 squares.

Adapted lightly from Martha Stewart

Photo: Smitten Kitchen

French Yogurt Cake

5 / 9 / 155 / 9 / 15

French Yogurt Cake

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1 lemon, grated and zest
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup citrus olive oil

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°. Generously butter an 8 1/2-x-41/2-inch loaf pan and place the pan on a baking sheet. A cake pan, Bundt cake pan or any other pan may be used; you made need to adjust the cooking time.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Put the sugar and zest in a medium bowl and, with your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and aromatic.

Add the yogurt, eggs and vanilla and whisking vigorously until the mixture is very well blended.

Still whisking, add the dry ingredients, then switch to a large rubber spatula and fold in the oil. You’ll have a thick, smooth batter with a slight sheen. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake begins to come away from the sides of the pan; it should be golden brown and a thin knife inserted into the center will come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then run a blunt knife between the cake and the sides of the pan. Unmold, and cool to room temperature right side up on the rack.

Glaze (optional)

½ cup lemon marmalade mixed with 1 teaspoon water

To Make the Glaze:

Put the marmalade in a small saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl, stir in the teaspoon of the water and heat until the jelly is hot and liquefied. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the cake with the glaze.

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Lemon Chiffon Cup Cakes with Fresh Berries

4 / 11 / 154 / 11 / 15

2 cups all purpose flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
8 eggs, separated
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water
2-1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Lemon Glaze
6 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In large bowl, add flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, water and lemon zest; whisk until well combined. In large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Fold ⅓ of whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until mixture is combined; do not over mix or batter will deflate. Pour into ungreased pan; tap gently on counter to release air pockets.

Bake 50-60 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Invert pan immediately after removing from oven and allow to cool completely. Run knife around the sides and center of cake to loosen.

For glaze, combine butter, zest, powdered sugar, juice and vanilla in medium bowl; stir until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and spread with spatula. Glaze will set hard within 30 minutes.

For Berries and Cream

Whip 1 pint fresh heavy cream and fold in sliced mixed berries.

Makes 24 cupcakes or 1 large Bundt cake

Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

1 / 6 / 151 / 6 / 15

Most fruits and vegetables have a season, a time when they are picked and rushed to the market to maintain flavor and nutrition but when one talks about citrus it can be very confusing. Citrus ‘season’ really runs all year long with different varieties ripening at different times. During the summer months we have delicious Valencia oranges and Star Ruby Grapefruit, but you’ll find most citrus in season from fall until late spring.

In the market right now you’ll find Navel, Cara Cara and Moro Oranges, delicious Meyer Lemons and my favorite produce guru, Robert Schueller of Melissa’s Produce, recommends the Cocktail Grapefruit, Key Limes and Kishu tangerines! And all of us tangerines freaks know that come March those Ojai Pixie Tangerines start coming our way! The best of the best……

Other than eating juicy, sweet citrus out of hand or in a dish our friends at Temecula Olive Oil crush seasonal citrus fruit, Blood Oranges or Meyer Lemons, at the same time they press their olives. While the Blood Orange Olive Oil is available year round, Meyer Lemon Olive Oil is seasonal usually beginning in early spring. If you see it on their shelves don’t hesitate, this oil sells out every year! I’ve used both Blood Orange and Meyer Lemon Olive Oil in this cake and each one is distinct and fabulous.

For those of you who can’t conceive of using an olive oil in a cake I urge to try this recipe, not only is it easy, it’s delicious. I like serving it with a little chopped citrus on the side or a handful of fresh raspberries.

Click here for the recipe