Absurdly Easy chocolate Fudge

This recipe is lifted in its entirety from the March 2, 2010 Dining section of the New York Times. It IS absurdly easy -- I made this to give out as favors for Sean's birthday tomorrow.

Ingredients:

1 lb. semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (I used semi, but think bittersweet would be divine!)

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

4 tbsp butter

1/8 tsp salt (I forgot this)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Method:

1. Line an 8" x 8" squre baking pan with wax paper, allowing paper to overlap the edges of the pan. Coat with cooking spray.

2. Combine all ingredients, except walnuts, in a microwave-proof bowl. Heat on low for 10 - 15 seconds, then stir, and keep going until melted. We did this 8 times in 10 second bursts.)

3. Mix in walnuts if using and pour into pan.

4. Chill until set, about 4 hours or overnight. Lift fudge out of pan on paper and use a large knife to cut into 2" squares. Makes about 16.

Thoughts:

I can't help but think of all the great mix-ins you could use here -- almond extract, dried cherries, pecans, white chocolate chips, marshmallows . . .

Torihamu or Japanese Chicken "Ham"

In addition to fantasizing about being Jaime Oliver or Nigella Lawson, I also fantasize that I will send my children to school with healthy and inventive lunches, preferably served in a bento box. I'll make flowers out of hardboiled eggs, add some homemade sushi, include a medley of steamed vegetables and my children will be the laughingstocks of the lunchrooms. No, seriously, I've always been intrigued by the neatness, efficency and, well, just all around Japanese-ness of the bento box. And, this being the Internet age, there is no shortage of websites with cunning bento box supplies and recipes.

I don't remember exactly how I came upon this recipe from JustBento.com (probably just by chance on a bento fantasy surf) but I'm always looking for new and different ways to serve chicken. It is a protein I can be sure will be eaten without tears.

Don't be put off by the marination time (2 days) or the number of steps (really just 4). It's actually all quite simple. Check out the website JustBento.com.

Ingredients:

1 8oz boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 tbsp honey

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

Dried herbs of your choice (I used thyme, but they also suggest tarragon, red chili peppers, steak mix spices, Emeril's best -- you get the picture.)

Method:

1. Put all the ingredients in a sturdy ziploc bag. You can do more than one breast per bag, just make sure you double the marinade ingredients.

2. Press out as much air as possible from the bag, then squish the chicken and marinade together. Let rest in refrigerator for at least 48 hours, squishing and turning the bags when you think of it.

3. Remove chicken from bag and rinse thoroughly in cold water. Let soak in a bowl of cold water for an hour. This step apparently gets ride of excess salt while leaving enough for flavor. After an hour, dry off the chicken with paper towels.

4. Cook the chicken. There are three ways to do this (just choose one. You can only cook the chicken once):

a) Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Roll up the breast lengthwise and tie with kitchen string, then put the breasts on an oiled baking sheet for 30 - 40 minutes. (This is what I did because the next cooking method scares me with its use of plastic wrap in boiling water.)

b) Bring a pot of water to boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. Roll up the chicken breasts and tightly wrap in microwave-safe cling film. Put chicken in water for 5 minutes, then remove pot from heat, cover with a lid and let breasts poach for at least an hour.

c) Same steps as b) above, but don't wrap in cling film, just tie with string. Put the bare naked chicken breasts in the simmering water for 5 minutes, then remove pot from heat, cover with a lid and let breasts poach for at least an hour. You can get fancy and add leek, parsley, ginger or whatever you think might be nice.

Confession:

I cooked those suckers in the oven for nearly 40 minutes and they still looked raw on the outside. So, I boiled a pot of water, popped them in for 5 minutes, sliced and served them. The consistency was a little rubbery, but the chicken tasted like ham as promised! The children ate it with gusto (even the one who was sent home from school today with a stomachache and fever.)

Nigella's Banana Buttermilk Pancakes

You make the batter in the blender so they're really easy to pour into the pan and they freeze well. So you can have pancakes even on school mornings! (And no, you can't taste the banana if that's an issue like it is with my son.)

This recipe comes from Nigella Lawson's "Feast".

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 teaspoon sugar

1 very ripe banana

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 oz melted butter

Method:

1. Whiz the first 4 ingredients together in the blender, then add the flour, baking powder & soda.

2. Let mixture sit for 5 - 10 minutes while you melt the butter (use the microwave, please, it's early!) and heat up the pan.

3. Mix in the butter right before you start frying up the pancakes.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

This is just fantastic. I'm going to make this into cupcakes and bring them into school for Sean's birthday.

Ingredients:

For Cake:

1 package chocolate cake mix

2 eggs

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 can cherry pie filling

For frosting:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 15" x 10" baking pan.

2. In a mixer, combine cake mix, eggs and almond extract. Add pie filling and mix in by hand.

3. Pour into pan and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. For frosting -- combine sugar, milk and butter. Cook, stirring gently, until sugar is dissolved and butter is completely melted. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Pour over warm cake, spreading evenly. Cool completely before cutting.

Makes 32 servings (OH MY GOD, IF THAT'S TRUE I HAVE EATEN WAY TOO MUCH OF THIS CAKE!)

Ravioli

Ravioli is one of my go-to dinners when I have no other ideas. I get the kind with spinach filling so I can pretend my children are eating vegetables. (Seriously, does a teaspoon of spinach count as a serving? I don't think so!) I don't usually go to all this trouble, but this recipe doesn't seem so hard.

(Adapted from the March 2010 issue of Cooking Light and it's what's for dinner tonight):

Ingredients:

9 oz package of frozen ravioli

1 cup green beans (cut into 2" bits)

1/4 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned will do)

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh grated parmesan

Method:

1. Cook ravioli. Add green beans during the last 5 minutes. Drain.

2. Combine sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and garlic in a large bowl. Add ravioli, beans, salt & pepper; toss gently to combine.

3. Top with cheese and serve!

Confession:

I didn't have the sun-dried tomatoes that I thought I had, but this tasted okay. Though I think they would butch up the sauce and shouldn't be skipped.

2nd Confession:

One child liked this, the other dissolved in a puddle of tears when served this. He is now pathetically trying to eat a single ravioli (that has been scraped clean of sauce) while choking and weeping in order to qualify for chocolate cake. How's that for excellent parenting?

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Adapted from the Weight Watcher's website.

Ingredients:

6 oz sausage

6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 clove garlic

10 oz frozen gumbo-style vegetables

1 tbsp flour

1 cup canned, crushed tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 medium scallion (optional)

Cooking Spray

Method:

1. Brown sausage. Add chicken breast and minced garlic when the pan is coated with the sausage grease (icky, I know, but it happens!)

2. Remove meats from pan and cut into 1" chunks. Return to pan and add frozen vegetables.

3. Cook until vegetables are thawed and sprinkle with flour.

4. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes and spices. Simmer for at least 5 minutes. (I've simmered this for up to an hour and the gumbo reduces to a lovely, rich sauce coating the meat and vegetables. Your preference.)

Snowday Gingersnaps

So named just because we made them on one of the many snowdays we had in 2010.

Ingredients:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup candied ginger, cut into tiny chunks (optional)
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly, and sift a second time into another bowl.
3. Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar. Beat in the egg, and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the shortening mixture; stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture, and mix together until a soft dough forms.
4. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 121 | Total Fat: 5.4g | Cholesterol: 7mg