Pralines (pronounced Praw-leens)

(Adapted from Southern Living Magazine)

Happy Mardi Gras Day!!! Not only does today happen to be Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras Day) it also happens to be a new episode of LOST. Every week a few friends and I rotate apartments and take a turn at making dinner before watching the show. One of my friends is originally from New Orleans and in honor of one of her favorite days of the year, I told her I’d make Jambalaya, corn bread and pralines. (Before I decided on pralines for dessert, my first thought was to make King Cake but working with active dry yeast grosses me out. But that is another blog entirely). ANYWAY, I settled on pralines since my corn bread would be occupying the oven. I know this blog is called “The Bakin Brunette,” but cut me some slack here. This one is oven-free.

Let me start off by saying: pralines take patience which is something I don’t have a lot of, especially after putting in a ten-hour workday. If you are going to make these, be prepared to stir like you’ve never stirred before. It felt like eternity, but it was worth it! My pralines came out a little “gloppy” looking. I’m used to seeing them roundish and flat. Mine were more like little piles of nuts. But they tasted perfect, so if you get the same results, just close your eyes while eating them. After all, looks aren’t supposed to matter, right?

Special tool: Candy Thermometer

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons corn syrup
5 cups toasted pecan halves

Toast your pecans either in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the oven (at 350 for 8 minutes-stirring occasionally) or in pan on the stove top for about the same amount of time. My oven is too fickle to trust, so I use the stove top so I can keep a closer eye on them. Since this recipe calls for 5 cups, I had to toast in two batches because I didn’t have a pan large enough to keep them in a single layer.

Once you toast the pecans, set them aside.

Lay a few sheets of wax paper on a smooth surface like a counter top or your kitchen table. This is where you’ll spread the hot mixture after it is done cooking.

On the stovetop, stir together the first 5 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil (still stirring) for 7 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer reads 234 degrees. It took a long time for my mixture to come to a full boil since we are using medium heat. Once it actually boils, it only takes about 7-8 minutes to reach the right temperature, but be prepared to be stirring a while.

Remove the hot, molten lava mixture from the heat and stir in the toasted pecans. Spread the pecan mixture onto wax paper and let it stand for 20 minutes or until firm. Then break the praline-coated pecans apart into pieces and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them in an airtight container or Ziplock plastic freezer bag for up to 1 month.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie Bars

Even though my blog is called “The Bakin Brunette,” I don't want to seem bias, and I definitely don't want to be seen as discriminatory. I like people of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and colors, including blondes. I have lots of friends who are blonde. They’re nice people – they’re fun people. I just don’t happen to be one. So since I just made brownies, I thought I’d be P.C. and make some blondies. White chocolate macadamia nut blondies to be exact. These are my boyfriend’s favorite kind of cookies. I didn’t have a whole lot of time this weekend, but since it was Valentine’s Day and all, I figured I’d make these into bars instead of scooping out cookies. It cut the bake time in half and you end up with thick, chewy cookie bars. I also wanted to get a little festive with them since nothing about white chocolate macadamia nut cookies really screams HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, so I threw in some Craisins for color. If you aren’t a fan of mixing fruit with your dessert, just nix the Craisins.

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (12 ounces) package white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts, chopped
1 cup orange flavored Craisins

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees and grease an 11x13” pan.

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. Using a hand or stand-up mixer, blend the softened butter, both sugars, and vanilla until creamy. Add each egg one at a time and incorporate fully after each addition. Now, toss aside that mixer and bust out the big guns. Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the sugar/butter/egg mixture and stir by hand until the flour is absorbed. Repeat a few more times until all the flour is incorporated. Pour in the white chocolate chips and nuts. If you are using Craisins, add those in too. Stir, stir, stir and then spread into your greased pan. Pop it all in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown. Allow them to cool and then cut them into bars.

Hint: Because of their shape, chopping Macadamia nuts can be a pain. I’ve sent many flying across the kitchen, and trust me, it can get pretty messy. So I opt to measure out the amount I need and put them in a zip lock bag. Make sure all the air is out of the bag (you don’t want to pop it!!) and start whacking away with a rolling pin. You get to take out some aggression while breaking up the nuts. Always remember to store unused nuts in the freezer to preserve their oils.

Frosted Brownies

I must say I do enjoy brownies of the boxed variety. After all, they’re all I’ve ever really known. We’ve had a close relationship for 27 years, and while we’ve been through a lot together, I think it’s time we took a break. Heck, let’s call this what it really is: an "it’s not you, it’s me” break-up.

The truth is: I’ve changed. I’ve moved on to a brownie that’s richer and cake-ier and all around…just…better. I’m sorry, Betty! If these brownies weren’t so easy to make AND addictive, we may have been able to work this out. But now you see - I know what I’ve been missing. You’ll always hold a special place in my heart, but I think its better that we face the facts. We’re over. **tear**

Brownies:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting:
6 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Allow it to cool for a minute (If you add eggs to the hot mixture, you'll end up with scrambled eggs. And while I love scrambled eggs, I'm not a fan of them in my brownies). So cool it, my friend, and then stir in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in the cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix only until just combined and spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.

To make the frosting: Combine the butter, cocoa, honey, vanilla, and confectioners' sugar. Frost the brownies while they are still warm. The frosting will look glossy and shiny. Enjoy right away for creamier frosting or allow the frosting to sit for a fudgier consistency.

Hint: You don’t want to use an electric mixer when combining these ingredients. A little elbow grease will do the trick! If this batter is over mixed, you’ll end up with tough brownies. AND NO ONE WANTS THAT!

Caramel Corn

(originally a Martha Stewart recipe)

So I just realized I’ve posted two recipes now and neither contains an ounce of chocolate. Forgive me - I don’t know what has come over me. I must be sick. Even so, I’m sure I’ll find the appetite to eat this entire batch of caramel corn tonight. It’s that good. Everyone I’ve made it for has loved it, and I’m sure you will too. If you are looking for a last minute recipe for the Super Bowl this weekend – make a double batch and watch it disappear!

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking sheet
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
½ cup tightly packed brown sugar (dark or light)
10 cups plain popcorn (1/2 cup kernels or a standard microwave bag*)
1 cup chopped salted cashews, optional

* Try Orville Redenbacher’s Naturals microwave popcorn.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Butter a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

Pop the popcorn and place it in a large mixing bowl with the cashews. If you are using a bag of microwave popcorn, consider this: Instead of dumping the popcorn directly into the bowl with the cashews, allow the popcorn to cool and scoop it out by hand. Otherwise you’ll dump the un-popped kernels into the mixture too. Your teeth with thank you!

Meanwhile on the stovetop, bring the butter, water, light corn syrup, and brown sugar to a soft boil. This will only take a few minutes at medium heat. As soon as you see it boil, remove the pan from the heat.

I let the pan sit for a minute or so before pouring it over the popcorn/cashews. If the syrup is too hot, it will make the popcorn shrink. It will not affect the taste, but it’ll look a little funky.

Just be really, REALLY careful with handling the hot sugar mixture. It’s like molten lava – trust me. I usually bust-out my trusty “Ove” glove during this recipe. If you don’t have your own, I highly recommend purchasing one. Or do as I did and ask Santa for one (thanks, dad!).



Anyway, back to the task at hand. When the sugar syrup has cooled for a minute or two, dump it over the popcorn and cashews and mix gingerly…mmmm ginger (sorry, I digress)…to combine. You don’t want to demolish the popcorn while mixing.

Once combined, dump it onto the prepared baking pan and pop it into the oven.

Bake the caramel corn for 30 to 40 minutes or until the popcorn is shiny, tossing every 10 minutes or so. Once done, allow it to cool on parchment paper. The caramel corn can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week, but I highly doubt it will last that long!

HINT: I store unused nuts in the freezer. Once a package is open, the oils in the nuts can cause them to spoil really quickly. Stored in an airtight container, nuts can be used directly from the freezer for a couple of months.

Grandma's Snickerdoodles

When my grandma made snickerdoodles, she wasn’t messing around. These were the cookies she was known for. Even now, when someone mentions these cookies in the presence of my uncles, they start foaming at the mouth. Literally. So what is it about these cookies that can turn two grown men into Tasmanian devils? Apparently – it’s lard.

Now, I just can’t bring myself to use lard - but Crisco - that’s another story! These are light and crispy cookies with a touch of salty-sweetness. Grandma really knew what it took to make a cookie melt in your mouth!

Cookie dough:
1 cup Crisco
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 large eggs
1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

For rolling:
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons white sugar

Mix the two teaspoons of cinnamon and the two tablespoons of white sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside until your cookie dough is made.

Using an electric mixer, blend the Crisco and sugar until creamy. Add each egg one at a time and mix thoroughly after each.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

At this point, I abandon my electric mixer and hand-blend a small amount of the dry mix into the Crisco/sugar/egg mixture. Repeat adding small amounts of the dry to the wet ingredients until all the dry mix is incorporated.

The batter will be thick and sticky. To help with rolling, I stick the dough in the refrigerator for about a half an hour. The dough will still be sticky, but firmer and easier to roll into balls.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pull out the chilled dough and roll into walnut-sized balls. Roll each ball in the shallow bowl of sugar/cinnamon. Since these cookies are made with Crisco instead of butter, you get most of the flavor from the sugar and cinnamon – so coat generously!

Place the balls of dough on un-greased cookie sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the surface of the cookies starts to crack and the edges turn golden brown.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Hint: After cooling, these cookies will be a little crispy. If you are like me and prefer a chewier cookie, place the cookies in an airtight container and throw in a few pieces of bread. The cookie will absorb the moisture in the bread and VUALA! Chewy cookies!