Recipe: Chocolate Revel Bars

Our regular chocolate chip cookie recipe made into a bar cookie version - Image by rachel is coconut&lime via Flickr

From Denny: This week is dedicated to brownie recipes! Yay!

Looking through one of my "elderly" cookbook finds from a book fair I was struck by how much cooking and baking has changed in the past 30 years or so. As we learn more about nutrition the recipes change. As new products, good or bad for us, come onto the market, the recipes of that time period reflect it. Usually, I look for timeless recipes where the ingredients will be easy to acquire and simple.

During the 1960's and 1970's making "bar" cookies (a type of brownie in our minds today) was most popular mainly because it saved time from forming the cookie dough, just bake and cut into serving sizes was faster. Women were entering the work force then and needed to speed up their recipes as they only had so much time in a day. (Sound familiar?)

I chose this recipe for today as I'm always thinking of how to use up something out of the pantry, like sweetened condensed milk, that I bought for last Thanksgiving holiday and never got around to using it for anything. Do you suffer from those pantry extras too? Well, this recipe looked like a tasty idea to meet my needs. It might even end up on this Thanksgiving's table! :)

Note: You can substitute half of the butter here for canola oil. If you make it all canola oil it will lose that buttery flavor. Well, at least the oats are a healthy addition! :)

There wasn't a good enough photo provided for this recipe - that's the only thing about older cookbooks, it was before quality digital photography that gives clear photos. Just imagine a triple layer brownie with the oatmeal crust, a layer of dark chocolate goodness and then dots of oatmeal crust on the top, almost like a miniature chocolate pie idea cut into bars!

Chocolate Revel Bars

From: Better Homes and Gardens All-Time Favorite Cake & Cookie Recipes, published 1980

Yield: 48 (2-inch) squares

Ingredients:

3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unsalted butter (can substitute margarine)

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14 ounce) can (1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed milk

2 Tablespoons butter (can substitute margarine)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

2 teaspoons vanilla


Directions:

Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt. In mixer bowl beat 1 cup butter or margarine on medium speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds.

Add brown sugar and beat till fluffy. Add eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla; beat well. Add dry ingredients to to beaten mixture and beat till well blended.

In heavy saucepan heat together chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, 2 Tablespoon butter or margarine and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat, stirring till smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and 2 more teaspoons vanilla.

Pat 2/3 of the oat mixture into bottom of an ungreased 15"x10"x1" baking pan, saving enough to spread on top too. Spread with chocolate mixture. Dot with remaining oat mixture.

Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, no dough sticking to it. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars.


Thanks for visiting! Happy Baking today!



Cookie, Cooking, Chocolate chip, chocolate bars, brownies, Brown sugar, Butter, baking, Home, dessert, baking and confections, chocolate brownie

3 Octupi Videos: Escape of the Shapeshifting Octupus

Image by dontdothisathome via Flickr

From Denny: I was looking around Digg today in the Science section for my science blog, The Soul Calendar,where I park all things science that interest me. Blogs really are like a long version of a social site of things you want to share with others.

Remembering our trip to Greece a few years back and how awesome the grilled octupus and calamari tasted because it was so fresh, I guess I just had octupus on the brain. It's wonderful protein and no bones.

These videos are fascinating to watch. One is about a 600 pound octupus who can squeeze into a small space the size of a mere tiny quarter. The second one is a contest in an aquarium between a hungry shark and a giant octupus who were well matched. The third is about a BBC crew going down deep after a giant octupus to film it and saw a huge monster of an octupus wrap itself around one of the divers while filming!

You have to see these creatures. Unbelievable. Sure gives you new respect for the fishermen who go after these scary animals just to serve it up in restaurants. Fishing octupi must be an extreme sport.

To get you over to The Soul Calendar for the 3 video post, go here.

Thanks for visiting!

octupus, National Geographic, video, ocean, Greece, fishing

Joke: Smart Dog Goes Meat Shopping

Smart Dog

A dog walks into a butcher shop with a purse strapped around his neck. He walks up to the meat case and calmly sits there until it's his turn to be helped. A man, who was already in the butcher shop, finished his purchase and noticed the dog. The butcher leaned over the counter and asked the dog what it wanted today. The dog put its paw on the glass case in front of the ground beef, and the butcher said, "How many pounds?"
The dog barked twice, so the butcher made a package of two pounds ground beef.

He then said, "Anything else?"

The dog pointed to the pork chops, and the butcher said, "How many?"

The dog barked four times, and the butcher made up a package of four pork chops.

The dog then walked around behind the counter, so the butcher could get at the purse. The butcher took out the appropriate amount of money and tied two packages of meat around the dog's neck. The man, who had been watching all of this, decided to follow the dog. It walked for several blocks and then walked up to a house and began to scratch at the door to be let in. As the owner opened the door, the man said to the owner, "That's a really smart dog you have there."

The owner said, "He's not really all that smart. This is the second time this week he forgot his key."


Ground beef, Dogbert, Pork chop, Butcher, Home, Food, Cooking, Meat, Pork, smart dog, jokes, dog, dog joke, Dogbert

Recipes: 3 BBQ Sauces, Pulled Pork and Coleslaw

Pulled Pork over white rice, add some sauteed seasoned chopped bell peppers and onions and this is how I like pulled pork! - Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Mmmmm.... Barbecue is one of those out of this world experiences we call comfort food. Our national "piggy" board always has recipes for us to enjoy. The Pork Board (proper name) featured two recipes for pulled pork sandwiches.

North Carolina (and South Carolina too) is known for its pulled pork and long, long, long, very long slow smoked cooking of the piggy meat. That's the secret, they say, to success with pulled pork. Otherwise, if you are impatient and don't cook the meat long enough, you end up with a tough product. How long do the experts tell us we should cook the meat? They are talking at least two days. That's how it gets infused with that awesome smokey flavor over a wood fire.

You can take the shortcut of cooking your piggy roast in a slow cooker though you won't achieve that intense smokey flavor that can only be achieved from a wood fire. However, the piggy roast will be moist, tender, and very flavorful when you add any of the following wonderful BBQ sauces. Whichever method you use, if you don't think it's tender enough then send it back to the cooker and cook longer to the level you like.

North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork Sandwiches

From: National Pork Board

Serves: 18

Ingredients:

1 pork butt, Boston butt or un-trimmed end-cut pork shoulder roast, about 7 to 9 pounds

5 to 7 cups hickory wood chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil

3/4 cup Lexington-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)

North Carolina Coleslaw (recipe follows)

18 hamburger buns


Directions:

1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking.

2. Remove pork from wrapper. Do not trim any excess fat off the meat; this fat will naturally baste the meat during the long cooking time. Brush pork with a thin coating of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place on tray until ready to cook.

3. Before placing the meat on the grill, add soaked wood chips. Place pork in center of the cooking grate with fat-side up. Cook slowly for 4 to 5 hours or until instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the middle of the pork registers 190 to 200 degrees and the meat is very tender and falling apart. If there is a bone in the meat, it should come out smooth and clean. There is no need to turn meat during the cooking time.

4. Let meat rest for 20 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Using a sturdy fork and a knife, pull meat apart and discard fat. Set aside any crispy bits of fat that have been completely rendered and look almost burned. After the meat is completely shredded, chop the reserved crispy bits and mix them into the warm pork.

5. Mix with enough Lexingston-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce to moisten. Serve on a white hamburger bun and top with North Carolina Coleslaw.


No Stress Barbecue Pork Sandwiches

From: Carma Rogers with the National Pork Board
Serves: 10 to 12


Ingredients:

4 to 5 pounds boneless pork butt (or pork shoulder roast)

1 (14-1/2 ounces) can beef broth

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/3 cup hot pepper sauce

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

10 to 12 sandwich buns


Sauce:

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup yellow mustard

2 Tablespoons hot pepper sauce


Directions:

1. Put pork in bottom of a large slow cooker. Mix broth, liquid smoke, pepper sauce and Worcestershire; pour over meat.

2. Cover and cook on High for 5 hours (or 8 to 10 hours on Low) until pork is very tender.

3. Meanwhile, for sauce, combine all ingredients in large saucepan; set aside.

4. Place pork on cutting board; reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid from pork. Coarsely chop pork; combine with reserved cooking liquid and sauce in saucepan; heat over medium heat until warm.

5. Spoon pork onto sandwich buns to serve.


Now for the easy to make sauces:


Lexington-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

From: National Pork Board

Makes: about 2 cups


Ingredients:

2 cups cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon ground white pepper

1/2 to 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes (the more flakes, the hotter the sauce)

2 Tablespoons white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup ketchup

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and let sit for at least 10 minutes to indefinitely in the refrigerator. The longer the it sits, the hotter it gets. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Cover via Amazon

Click here to purchase: It's All American Food: The Best Recipes for More Than 400 New American Classics

South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

From: “It’s All American Food” by David Rosengarten

Makes: about 4 cups


Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon butter

1 cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup French’s mustard

1 Tablespoon ketchup

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon molasses

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp. cayenne

1-1/2 cups cooking liquid from pork shoulder

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the butter, vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, cayenne and the cooking liquid in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

2. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently with a wire whisk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.


Eastern North Carolina Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

From: “It’s All American Food” by David Rosengarten

Makes: about 2 cups


Ingredients:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup white vinegar

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1 cup cooking liquid from pork

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

2. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes, stirring frequently with a wire whisk.

3. Use or serve sauce immediately.



North Carolina Coleslaw

From: National Pork Board
Serves: 18


Ingredients:

Lexington-Style Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

1 large head of cabbage, chopped

Directions:

Mix barbecue sauce into chopped cabbage until well mixed and not quite wet. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Have a great weekend, everyone! Thanks for visiting! Guess you had better get started on this pulled pork is you want to eat by Sunday noon... :)


Barbecue, Pulled pork, coleslaw, Cook, North Carolina, Food, Meat, BBQ sauce recipes, Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes from Foster's Market

Recipe: Easy Cheap Chocolate Walnut Mock Apple Pie

Original Mock Apple Pie Recipe Image by 3liz4 via Flickr

From Denny: Looked like it was going to rain this morning so I had to stop my posting and get out there and mow the lawn. Louisiana grows some beautiful thick lush lawns in this hot and humid heat! These are the kind of lawns you enjoy going barefoot on because they feel like thick deep moss. They also are wet to mow...so it took me a while to cool off and start writing again. :)

This little easy inexpensive recipe comes down to us from our grandmothers' and great-grandmothers' time during the Great Depression. Folks were looking for little luxuries they could afford and someone came up with the brilliant idea of using Ritz crackers in a recipe and found out it was so close to the real thing it was amazing! It took the nation by storm.

Over the years, people have played with this easy recipe, made it their own and developed all kinds of interesting variations. Try experimenting with your own variations. This week our local paper featured the antique recipe and it caught my interest. You knew I had to share it because it had chocolate! Yum!

The 1930's was the same time our beloved classic Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe was invented by an inn keeper too. Hard economic times seem to bring out the innovation in good cooks and bakers. Since our own economy is uncertain these days - people are looking for ways to reduce their spending - this is offered as an inexpensive alternative so you can still have fun no matter what is going on around you. Enjoy!

Chocolate Walnut Mock Apple Pie

From: Kraft Foods

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1-3/4 cups water

Zest and 2 Tablespoons juice from 1 lemon

Pastry for 2-crust, 9-inch pie

36 Ritz Crackers, coarsely broken (about 1-3/4 cups)

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, cut into small pieces

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks


Directions:

1. Mix sugar and cream of tartar in medium saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Bring to boil on high heat; simmer on low 15 minutes. Stir in zest and juice; cool 30 minutes.

2. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out half of pastry on lightly floured surface to 11-inch circle; place in 9-inch pie plate. Place cracker crumbs in crust. Place chocolate chips and walnuts over cracker crumbs. Pour sugar syrup over crumbs, chips and nuts; top with butter and cinnamon.

3. Roll out remaining pastry to 10-inch circle; place over pie. Seal and flute edge. Cut several slits in top crust to permit steam to escape. Place on parchment-covered baking sheet.

4. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

Note: To prevent crust from browning too much, cover edge with foil near end of baking time if necessary.


Chocolate Walnut Mock Apple Pie, healthy recipes, Ritz Crackers, Great Depression, Baking and Confections, Baking, Chocolate chip, Apple pie, Cooking, Home