Mocha brownie cake

Mix well:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, beaten

Combine in a second bowl:
1 cup cocoa
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup vanilla pudding mix
1 Tbsp finely ground coffee
1 tsp baking powder

Add to egg mixture, stirring until just blended. Pour into nonstick 8x8 pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Pot of pesto pasta

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 roasted red peppers
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cloves crushed garlic
3-4 heaping Tablespoons of basil pesto
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cups cooked pasta

Saute the chicken and garlic in olive oil. When chicken is white all the way through, add mushrooms, red peppers and pesto. Heat well.

In a large bowl, mix pasta with sauce. All done!

Mighty beta-carotene muffins

Once before I tried looking for carrot muffin recipes. But I was re-inspired by the pile of carrots in the fridge. So I got creative.

In a large bowl, mix well:
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated orange zest

Stir in:
2 cups cooked carrots, mashed well

In a separate bowl, mix:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
dash ground cloves

Stir the dry ingredients into wet. Stir until just mixed. Pour into muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Nutritional information

Ricotta cheesecake

A light cheesecake, perfect with fruit topping!

Ricotta cheesecake is like New York cheesecake's cousin: similar, but not the same. It's much lighter in texture, and fortunately also much healthier.

3 eggs
3 Tablespoons flour
15 oz ricotta cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

Beat eggs, then add other ingredients, mixing well. Pour into a greased and floured pie dish, or into a prepared Graham cracker crust*. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set. Pie will rise, then fall as it cools. Let cool completely, then chill before serving.

Frenchie expat tip: To make a Graham cracker crust, use petit beurre cookies, butter and cinnamon!

Porto mushroom sauce

Cook over high heat until reduced by half:
1/2 cup porto wine
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Reduce heat to medium, then add:
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup light cream (15 percent)
2 tsp Worchestershire
1 tsp tomato sauce
1/2 tsp Dijon
1/8 tsp rosemary

Simmer until thickened. Serve over steak and mashed potatoes - yum!

Onion & potato Tarte Tatin

Tarte tatin is a traditional French open-faced tarte that can be sweet or savory.

1 prepared pastry crust
1 medium potato, sliced very thinly
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
butter
pinch of sugar
pinch of rosemary
salt and pepper

Butter an 8-inch baking dish well. Layer the sliced onions in the dish. Cover with sliced potatoes. Sprinkle with seasonings. Cut crust to fit the dish, then lay over potatoes. Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Heat balsamic vinegar and sugar and reduce to a syrup.

Remove tarte from oven and immediately invert onto a warmed plate. Drizzle with balsamic syrup and serve hot.

Little Red Hen Brownies

Our favorite brownie recipe, which Jonathan (a.k.a. the Little Red Hen) has perfected.



1/2 cup butter
8 oz dark choclate, chopped
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp freshly ground coffee
1/2 tsp salt

Slowly melt butter and chocolate together over low heat, stirring constantly. Let cool to room temperature.

Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well. Gently fold in flour, salt and coffee. Pour into non-stick 8x8 pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

Cool completely before eating - trust me. They get better as they cool. :)


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Oatmeal yeast rolls

As great as this recipe is...I can't take credit. It came from here.

Pulled barbecue pork

Can be served on buns or over egg noodles. This recipe can also be done on the stove on very low heat, rather than in a crock pot. The coffee works as a tenderizer, but can’t be tasted in the end.

2 lb pork roast
1 Tbsp beef bouillon
1/2 c brewed coffee

Place roast in crock pot and add liquids. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Pull out pork, reserving broth.

Pour broth into a saucepan, then add:

1 small can tomato paste
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 c vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 T sugar
2 T lemon juice
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp liquid smoke
dash cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Simmer sauce 15 minutes. Meanwhile, shred the pork with a fork. Add pork to sauce and simmer until thickened.

Cinnamon rolls

This recipe has three parts: dough, filling, and icing. Make the dough first, then as it's rising make the filling. Prepare the rolls. Then make the icing while the rolls are baking.

Dough
1/8 cup warm water
3/4 cup warm milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp yeast
1 egg
1/6 cup melted butter
3-4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl mix water, milk and sugar. Add yeast and let sit 10 minutes or until foamy. Beat in egg and butter. Slowly add in flour and salt until dough becomes to stiff to mix. Put dough on floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place dough in oiled bowl and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let rise one hour or until doubled in size.

Punch down the dough, then put on lightly floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let sit 15-20 minutes.

Filling
1/2 cup prepared vanilla pudding
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2-3 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins (soaked in hot water, then drained)
1/4 cup crushed pecans

Mix pudding, sugar and cinnamon. Spread over rolled out dough, covering evenly. Sprinkle nuts and raisins on top of filling.

Using a spatula, lift one of the longer edges of the dough rectangle. Gently roll up the dough, sealing the edge together with your fingers. Dip a sharp knife in flour, then slice the dough one inch from the end. Place the roll on a non-stick cookie sheet. Repeat until all the rolls have been cut.

Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise 30-45 minutes. Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.

Icing
1 cup prepared vanilla pudding
1/4 cup softened cream cheese
3 Tbsp sugar
Crushed pecans (opt)

Mix the pudding, sugar and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Spread over hot rolls, then sprinkle with nuts.


Jonathan warming his hands by the oven after pulling out the rolls

Broccoli bacon quiche

1 pie crust (pate brisee)
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded Gouda or cheddar cheese
6 strips crumbled bacon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper

Roll the crust out in a pie pan. Spread the broccoli evenly on the bottom. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese.

Beat the eggs, then stir in milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour over top of broccoli and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until firm and golden.

Cheese naan

Read more about naan here.

1 teaspoon yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional - but sooo good!)
1/4 cup butter, melted
Mozzarella



In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until foamy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth, 6 to 8 minutes, on a lightly floured surface. Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise one hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Place a piece of mozzarella (about one-half-inch cube) in the center of the dough. Roll into balls, pinching ends together well, and place on a cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

During the second rising, preheat cast iron skillet to high heat.

Gently roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle, about 1/3 inch thick. Place dough in skillet, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from skillet, and repeat until all the naan has been cooked.

Glory of Carrots in the Morning muffins

2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 apple, cored and shredded
3 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup OJ
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the carrot, raisins, coconut, and apple.

In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, oil, and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into the carrot/flour mixture, just until moistened. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Molasses spice cookies

2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp salt
dash black pepper
1/4 cup white sugar (for rolling)

In a large bowl cream butter and brown sugar. Add molasses and egg. Mix well.

In a separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Slowly mix in dry ingredients with wet. The dough will be soft. Using a spoon, scoop out about 2 teaspoons of dough. Roll into a ball then roll in white sugar. Place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until puffy and edges just begin to dry. These cookies are very soft!

The dough also freezes well. I separated the dough into 6 parts, then wrapped each in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer - just enough in each package for us to enjoy cookies after dinner.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 batch pizza dough (this is my favorite)
1 1/2 cups favorite BBQ sauce
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups shredded mozzarella

Roll out dough after second rise. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.

Mix BBQ sauce with chicken. Spread on pizza dough. Top with cheese. Return to oven until bubbly!

English muffins

This recipe is in honor of Nicole



I was looking for a not-unhealthy breakfast bread and decided whole wheat English muffins might work. This recipe was modified from a few I found online.

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 tsp yeast
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, microwave the milk and water to about 110 degrees, hot but not so hot you can't keep your finger in it.Mix in the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Sprinkle in yeast. Let sit 10 minutes or until foamy on top. Stir in butter.

Mix the flours and salt. Add 2 cups into yeast mixture and mix until smooth. Add the rest of flour, or enough to make a soft dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise.

Punch down. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut rounds with a glass. Sprinkle cookie sheet with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with cornmeal also. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 1/2 hour. (I put mine in a warm over)

Heat non-stick pan to medium heat. Cook muffins about 7-10 minutes on each side. (I put the lid on my pan to keep the steam in to make a good crust.) Eat warm with jam or honey...or whatever! To store, cool completely and place in plastic bags. Freeze well.

Pesto veggie pizza

Start with a 1/2 batch of pizza dough (can substitute whole wheat flour for half of the white flour). Let rise an extra 30 minutes before spreading onto baking sheet or baking stone. Bake in preheated oven at about 400 degrees.

Spread a layer of basil pesto over the crust. Top with roasted red peppers, sliced mushrooms and mozzeralla. Pop it back in the oven until cheese melts. Serve hot!

Roasted red peppers

Cut the peppers in half and clean out the seeds. Gently rub the peppers with oil. Place them on a baking sheet skin side up. Broil in center of oven. The skin will start to blacken and soften in 7-10 minutes.



Once the skins are blackened, remove from the oven and immediately place the peppers in a large ziploc bag. Close and let sit for 20 minutes or so (or until the peppers have time to cool and "sweat").

Once they have cooled you will be able to peel the skins right off. Tada! Roasted red peppers!

Keely's beer bread

My cousin-in-law Keely sent me a recipe for a simple beer bread

3 cups mixed grain self-rising flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 cup beer, warmed to 110 degrees

Mix flour and sugar in a large bowl. Add beer and mix well. Knead on floured surface until smooth. Place in an oiled bowl and let rise one hour or until double in size.

Punch dough down and shape into a loaf. Place in loaf pan and cover lightly with Sarran Wrap. Let rise 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. How to tell if your bread is done?

Spinach and sausage calzones

You know how when you bite into something good, you usually think, "This would be perfect if..." Not this calzone. It is perfect as is.

1 batch pizza dough (I've tried about 10 pizza dough recipes, and this is the best)
1/2 to 1 lb browned Country Sausage
1 1/2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup frozen sliced mushrooms, thawed and drained
1/2 cup ricotta cheese (or you can use sour cream and/or goat cheese, like I did)
1 1/2 cups mozzarella, shredded
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Rosemary to taste
Cornmeal
Marinara sauce for dipping (at least 1/2 cup per person)

Prepare dough and let rise once. Punch down and divide into four balls. Cover gently with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.

Mix sausage, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, and rosemary.

Roll dough out (or throw it like a pizza pro if you know how) to about 9-10 inches in diameter. Spread ricotta in the shape of a D on one half of a dough round. Leave 1/2 inch of plain dough along the edge. Scoop 1/4 of spinach mixture onto the ricotta. Top with shredded mozzarella.

Dip your finger in water and run it along the edge of plain dough. Fold the dough over the half with toppings, lining the edges up well. Press edges together gently with your finger. Sprinkle the edge with flour, then seal by pressing closed with a fork. Make the seal about 1/2 inch.

Place the calzone on a baking sheet or baking stone sprinkled with cornmeal.

Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden. Serve hot with marinara sauce.

Jonathan's pot roast

I'm afraid this recipe will remain a Masson Family secret...until Jonathan logs on to type it in anyway!

Chocolate covered coffee beans

1 bar 70 % cocoa chocolate
1 cup roasted coffee beans

Break the chocolate into small pieces. Melt over very low heat, stirring with a spatula, until liquid and smooth. Drop in a handful of beans, and stir them around. Repeat until all the beans are covered. Scoop out a few beans with a small spoon and set them out on waxed paper.

They will harden in about an hour, or you can freeze them for about half an hour. Once hard, they won't stick together and can be stored in any air-tight container.

Eat alone or sprinkle them over ice cream, brownies, or any chocolate dessert!


I was craving the incredible dark chocolate-covered espresso beans from Starbuck (since we still don’t have one in Lyon). But I wasn’t sure how successful my attempt would be, and didn’t feel like running to the store for ingredients. So I used generic 1 brand coffee beans from Carrefour that I had on hand for testing out an antique coffee grinder. For the chocolate I used a bar I had intended for chocolate chip cookies. It too was the famous generic 1 brand.

These little guys were delicious! Especially considering I used the cheapest possible ingredients that just happened to be in my kitchen at the time.

Blackberry French toast

1/2 loaf day-old French baguette bread, sliced into rounds
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
dash cinnamon

2 cups blackberries
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Mix eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Dip bread rounds in egg mixture, letting soak for about a minute on each side.

While waiting, pour blackberries, lemon juice, and powdered sugar into a saucepan. Heat slowly, crushing berries gently to release juices.

Place rounds in hot skillet (med-high heat). Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden and brown around edges.

Serve warm, topped with blackberries.

Carrot cake

Super moist and rich, this cake is even better after being refrigerated overnight.

Mix:
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Mix separately, then add:
4 beaten eggs
3/4 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Add:
3 1/2 cups grated carrots OR 2 1/2 cups grated carrots and 1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts (opt)3/4 cup raisins (opt)

Pour batter into greased 9x13 pan. Bake 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool, then frost with cream cheese icing. Sprinkle icing with cinnamon or pumpkin spice. Decorate the center of the cake using a think slice of carrot (use a carrot peeler) and thin, short pieces of zucchini for a green carrot top.

Cake doughnuts

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
3 eggs
about 4 cups flour

oilfor frying
powdered sugar for dusting

Mix dry ingredients together.

Beat sugar and sour cream until light and well mixed. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add just enough flour to form a soft dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 20-30 minutes.

Roll dough on a floured surface to 3/4 inch thick and cut with floured cutter (or if you don't have a doughnut cutter, cut around the bottom of a glass to get a circle and cut out a center hole). Do not handle the dough more than necessary or it will become tough.

Heat oil to 350° F. Fry doughnuts in oil, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and roll in sugar.

Makes about 2 dozen