Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

My poor husband rarely gets to see the site of red meat. So when he does he usually throws a parade. I am not super gung ho about red meat so I like to make several sides when I do make him a steak. I had made a nice garlicky potato salad with thick pieces of bacon in it but knew I wanted something more. We were just talking the other day how I never use the Fry Daddy that I got 6 years ago and maybe I should start exploring the world of frying. Since my husband is from the south he is used to everything being fried. I am not in favor usually of frying things but for some reason the idea of having homemade onion rings on top of the steak sounded good.
The turned out great but I did change the recipe slightly. I added 1/2 packet of dry ranch dressing to the dry ingredients for dredging. I thought it would go nice with the potato salad we were having.

Buttermilk Onion Rings

4 large onions
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups flour
Salt
Pepper
Chili powder
Oil for frying

Slice 4 large onions into 1/4-inch rings. Place in large bowl and cover with buttermilk. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Place 2 cups flour in a shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge onion rings in seasoned flour. Dip again in buttermilk, then in seasoned four.

Fry in batches, in 350 degree oil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden.

Drain on paper towels. Let oil come back to temperature before frying next batch

Source: Food Network
Recipe courtesy of Sara Moulton

When all else fails and I can’t figure out what I want to make or if I want to even try something new on people, I seem to always make these half cupcake half brownie concoctions from Bon Appetit. I have made them before with a chocolate ganache but both my husband and I really love them with the peanut butter frosting…like a giant Peanut Butter Cup.

BROWNIE CUPCAKES WITH PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING

Cupcakes
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 8 ounces)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons (about) whipping cream (optional)

Chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles

For cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 10 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Combine butter, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Whisk both sugars into chocolate mixture, then whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Whisk in vanilla, then flour, walnuts, salt, and remaining 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (about 1/4 cup for each). Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and cool completely.
For frosting:
Put powdered sugar and next 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is smooth, adding whipping cream by teaspoonfuls if frosting is too thick to spread.

Spread frosting in swirls over top of cupcakes. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.)

Makes 10 cupcakes.
Bon Appétit
January 2003

So when we went to the BBQ on Monday someone had gone to either Safeway or Albertson’s and picked up some little cookies that looked like open faced oreos dipped in chocolate. The King Authur’s Flour Baker’s Companion Cookbook has a recipe in there that I had looked at several times but never tried so since my husband thought the ones at the BBQ were good, I would give it a try. The dough is exptremely stiff and I got tired of rolling them into little balls and flattening them. I had this idea that I would pipe out the frosting onto the cookie, but it is MUCH too thick for that. So I had to roll that into a ball and flatten them out also. My chocolate was too thick(ran out of cream) so it had to be just gooped on. I am making them again on Monday so I will try again with a thinner sauce. All in all, though they were good I will probably just go buy oreos….at lot less trouble.

Faux-Reos
Adapted from the King Arthur’s Baker’s Companion

Cookies:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon of water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

Filling
1 teaspoon plus heaping 1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar

In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the salt, egg, water, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in the flour and cocoa until well combined;the dough will be very stiff.
Roll the dough into balls about the size of a shelled chesnut or a shooter marble. Place the balls on parchment-lined or lightly greased cookie sheet and flatten each ball until it is 1/8 inch thick, using the bottom of a glass.
Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator to chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325F. Bake the cookies for 18 minutes. Watch them closely so they don’t burn. Remove the cookies from the baking pans and cool them completely on a wire rack.
To make the filling, soften the gelatin in a cup containing the 2 tablespoons of cold water, then place the cup in a larger dish of hot water and leave it there until the gelatin is completely dissolved and the liquid is transparent. Remove the gelatin from the hot water and let it cool until it’s room temperature but hasn’t begun to set.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, cream the shortening, then beat in the vanilla and the confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, beating until the mixture is light and creamy. Beat in the gelatin.
Sandwich the cookies, using about 1 1/2 teaspoons for a regular faux-reo or more for double stuffed.