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Category Archives: Comfort Food

Chocolate Sauce

23 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by Vanalee in Chocolate, Comfort Food, Desserts, Toppings

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Ingredients

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk, chocolate chips and sugar to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla until sauce is smooth and creamy. Cool about 30 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Store covered in refrigerator up to 4 weeks.

Cookie Monster’s Famous Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe

04 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Comfort Food, Cookies, Uncategorized

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Cookie Monster

When Ally and James were little we collected a series of Sesame Street books from the grocery store. There was a new one each week for several weeks. At the time I thought this was the best sugar cookie recipe ever! I always used to go and get Volume 1 off the shelf when I made them. Then suddenly we didn’t have the books anymore and I couldn’t remember what had happened to them. I didn’t have a copy of the recipe either because the book was always so handy.  It may have been in the box of toys we lost when we moved from Clayton to Houston in 1996. The one that Kristina’s Treehouse and all the vintage Barbies were in. Or we could have donated them somewhere, forgetting about the recipe.

Anyway, I did not have a copy of the recipe and every time I went to make sugar cookies I missed this recipe! I do love the the sugar cookie recipe Allyson shared from her aunt, Melinda Colton. So today I clicked on a link to a chocolate chip cookie recipe on The Kitchn website (Yep, that’s how they spell it) and when I got to the bottom of the recipe I was interested in I saw these words, “So You Know: Cookie Monster’s Famous Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe.” And I actually got a bit excited as I clicked on the link, thinking, “Could it really be THE recipe after all these years.” Sure enough, there is an actual image of the page from the book! It is the recipe! Here is the recipe including The Kitchn’s tips for baking since they weren’t included in the book.

Ingredients-

3/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Equipment-

Medium-sized mixing bowl
Measuring cup and spoons
A fork

Instructions-

1. Put 3/4 cup of butter or margarine (that’s a stick and a half) into your mixing bowl. (I would make this in my Kitchen Aid)

2. Measure 1 cup of sugar.

3. Pour sugar over butter.

4. With fork, squash butter and sugar together until they are blended.

5. Crack shells of two eggs and pour eggs over mixture in bowl.

6. Measure 1 teaspoon vanilla and pour over mixture.

7. With fork, blend everything in the bowl together.

8. Measure 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and pour over mixture in bowl.

9. Measure 1 teaspoon baking powder and sprinkle over flour.

10. Measure 1 teaspoon of salt and sprinkle over flour and baking powder.

11. Mix everything together either with the fork or with your hands.

12. Put dough in icebox to chill (at least one hour)

There are no instructions for baking from this print, but a quick search for others’ experiences with the recipe and recommendations say to roll out cookies 1/4 inch thick, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 400 degrees.

Genie Grandma’s Sugar Cookies

04 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Comfort Food, Cookies, Uncategorized

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So be warned…I have only made this recipe once and they turned out very dry, as in they were little Hockey Pucks! Now, that could be attributed to my poor cooking skills when I was in my twenties or it could be that they were never very good. I remember grandma telling me that the recipe was for drop cookies and she just added more flour.

I loved these cookies when I was young. Grandma made them only for Christmas and Easter and kept them until they were gone in a white Tupperware container.

Here is her recipe in her handwriting-

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IMG_5894

Ten Minute Macaroni and Cheese

05 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Comfort Food, Lunch, Main Dishes, Pasta

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Super easy and much better than the kind from the blue box!

3 T of butter
3 T of flour
1- 12-13 oz.  can of evaporated milk
1-16 oz. box of macaroni
1 cup of milk
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. While the macaroni is cooking, melt butter in a saucepan and once melted, add flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the can of evaporated milk and the other cup of milk. Stir occasionally until it coats the back of a spoon (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let sit, add salt and pepper. After a minute, add grated cheddar cheese and stir until creamy. Add to drained pasta and serve. This recipe makes the equivalent of two boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese.

Katherine Hepburn’s Brownies

22 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Bar Cookies, Brownies, Chocolate, Comfort Food, Desserts

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This recipe is from New York Times Cooking and has yet to be tried in my kitchen…but soon very soon!

INGREDIENTS-

  • ½ cup cocoa
  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 cup broken-up walnuts or pecans
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  •  pinch of salt

METHOD-

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts, and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
  4. Pour into a greased 8×8 square pan. Bake 40 minutes. Do not overbake; they should be gooey. Let cool, and cut into bars.

New York Times-Chocolate Chip Cookies

22 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Chocolate, Comfort Food, Cookies, Desserts

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I haven’t tried these yet! I’ll report back when I do. I found this recipe at NYT Cooking.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
  • 1 ⅔ cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
  • 2 ½ sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
  • 1 ¼ cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate disksor fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (Valharona makes these if you want to be fancy. I think I will try dark chocolate chips)
  •  Sea salt

Method-

  1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
  3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
  4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

“The Best Brownies Ever”

20 Thursday Aug 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Bar Cookies, Brownies, Chocolate, Comfort Food

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That is the description the Food Network gave these brownies.  The recipe is from The Wire Whisk. I haven’t made them yet. I plan to soon. Mascarpone makes everything “the best,”right? Thanks for sharing this brownie recipe Allyson!

Ingredients-

1 cup unsalted butter
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I might try Scharfenn Berger chocolate for these since I can get it at Target)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Ganache-
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method-

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by 8 square baking pan with parchment, leaving at least a 2 inch overhang. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Pour in the hot butter and let stand for 30 seconds. Stir until completely melted. Sift in the sugar and cocoa powder. Beat in the mascarpone, eggs, and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Gently fold the flour and salt into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Check at 35-40 minutes. it is so easy to overcook brownies. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

While the brownies are cooling, make the ganache. Place the chocolate (6 oz.) in a mixing bowl and set aside. Bring the cream and butter to just below boiling point in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture until smooth. Spread the ganache over the brownies while it is still warm. Allow the ganache to set completely before cutting into squares. Once they are cooled completely, use the parchment over hang to gently lift them out of the pan. I cool mine brownies in the refrigerator so this step works out better.

Jere Miller’s Chocolate Chip Fudge Brownies

19 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Brownies, Comfort Food, Desserts, Quick and Easy

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I have quite a brownie thing going on here in my attempt to find a good recipe again. I had this problem for several years with chocolate chip cookies until I finally found the Subarashi Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I deleted this recipe awhile back when it failed me. Then I regretted getting rid of it. It’s back, I am so glad Ally sent it to me.

Ingredients-

2 cups sugar
1 cup melted butter
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup flour
1- 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Method-

Combine melted butter and sugar. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until smooth. Add flour, cocoa powder and salt and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake in a well greased 13X11″ pan (who has a 13X11 inch pan????It must mean 9X13!”) for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. The sides will begin to pull away from the pan. Don’t over bake!

Hershey’s Best Brownies

18 Tuesday Aug 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Bar Cookies, Brownies, Chocolate, Comfort Food, Desserts

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I made these today with gluten free flour. They were thick and good! I think I’ll like them even better when made with regular flour. The original recipe is found on the Hershey’s website.

Ingredients-

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Method-

1- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9X13 inch pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2- Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave butter for 1-1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add cocoa; beat until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3- Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies barely begin to pull away from sides of pan. Be careful not to over bake. It is so easy to over bake brownies. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. I usually put them in the freezer for a few minutes before using the foil to lift them out of the pan and on to the cooling rack. Peel away the foil and cut into bars. Makes about 24 brownies.

 

Kim’s Brownies

18 Tuesday Aug 2015

Posted by Vanalee in Bar Cookies, Brownies, Chocolate, Comfort Food, Desserts

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Ingrdients-
3/4 pound butter, melted
2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided use
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
5 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts), chopped
Method-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan.Melt butter in a saucepan. Add 1-3/4 cups chocolate chips and stir until melted. Add melted mixture to cocoa in a bowl and combine. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whip eggs with brown sugar.

Mix flour with baking powder and salt. Add this dry mixture to egg/ brown sugar mixture. Mix in the butter-chocolate mixture. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips and nuts. (Some nuts and chocolate chips may be saved to sprinkle on top of the brownies before baking.) Spread batter into a prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. Cool before slicing.

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