Recipe: Rich and Creamy Chocolate Pudding

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder or instant coffee crystals

2 cups milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 banana, sliced (optional)

1 tablespoon chopped crystalized ginger (optional)

In a medium saucepan combine sugars, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and espresso powder.

Gradually stir in milk.

Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat.

Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into egg to a medium bowl.

Add egg mixture to milk mixture in saucepan, stirring constantly.

Return saucepan to heat.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat.

Stir in butter and vanilla.

Place saucepan in a very large bowl half-filled with ice water.

Stir pudding constantly for 2 minutes to cool quickly.

Transfer to a medium bowl.

Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.

To serve, top with sliced banana and/or crystalized ginger.

Makes 4 servings.

Better Homes and Garden Magazine, September 2009

Recipe: Mongolian Beef

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons red cooking wine

2 teaspoons hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic

1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain

4 medium green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces

Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth.

Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add minced ginger, minced garlic, and beef; saute for 2 minutes or until beef is browned.

Add green onion pieces; saute 30 seconds.

Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Serve with rice noodles or rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Cooking Light, December 2009 with some modifications I made.

Random Picks: New Recipe Box- Sweet Treats

I have been wanting to do this little project for a long time and lately got a little creative time. I made a new recipe box only for my "Sweet Treats". I did a little reorganizing with my recipe cards and categorized my new box with dessert tabs: Bars, Cakes, Cookies, Cupcakes, Frostings, Frozen, Fruit, Holiday, Ice Cream, Pies, Puddings, and Sauces. I had originally had all these recipes under one tab called "Desserts". My recipe box was getting too full and having separate and more specific dessert categories makes it much easier to find a recipe.

Recipe: Buttermilk Pancakes

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

Vegetable oil for pan

Maple syrup for serving

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Whisk gently until the dry ingredients are almost incorporated; stop before the batter is evenly moistened.

Add the cooled melted butter and mix just until the batter is evenly moistened (there will be lumps).

Let the batter rest while you heat the pan.

Heat a griddle or a large skillet over medium heat until drops of water briefly dance on the surface before evaporating.

Lightly oil the griddle.

Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle for each pancake, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

let cook undisturbed until bubbles rise to the surface and the edges look dry, 1 to 2 minutes.

Check the underside of each pancake to make sure it's nicely browned; then flip.

Cook until the second side is nicely browned, about 1 minute more.

Transfer the pancakes to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

Fine Cooking Magazine

December/January 2010