Placing New Posts Over at Dennys Food and Recipes

*** Check out my newest food blog where all 3 food blogs are now combined into one easy place to search for your favorite recipes or try something new!





From Denny: The way the online world has changed so much in the past year it's time to pare back down to just a few blogs. Most people find a blogger through search engines, social sites and blog or rss directories now.

There is so much great news going on that it's just plain easier to place post drafts all in one place when I'm grabbing research and links to write a post. I've experimented the past year with various themes and niche only blogs only to find out my instincts were right all along and the so-called internet experts were wrong: generalized blogs do get more traffic over small niche blogs. So, my niche blogs are getting combined so I can stretch out a bit more, put my elbows on the table and write about all the other goodies I've wanted to include but was constrained by the narrow niche writing.

I'm leaving up this blog as an archive. Why spoil all those wonderful links littered all over the internet? You will still find all the posts here also over at Dennys Food and Recipes - even the funny posts.

Google and the other search engines keep changing their requirements and bloggers have to keep jumping through hoops. Who knows? If the web world changes yet again then I'll adapt yet again. :) Such is life in the fast lane.

I'll be writing on fav food stories and news, posting recipes for everything from pasta to chocolate to Louisiana food to the newest trends in beverages and international food. Come check out Dennys Food and Recipes where you can find all - in one place - all the posts of my three food blogs! And please join me on Google Friend Connect too! :)


*** THANK YOU for all your support this past year as it's been fun writing for you. I enjoy researching to find those little gems to bring back home for you! :)

Muffin Monday: 3 Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipes

*** Enjoy 3 quick and easy recipes for chocolate and coffee all wrapped up and baked into the goodness of a muffin.





From Denny: Muffin Monday just seemed like a natural when writing about food. What a great way to start off our work week! I wanted to see what the Bed and Breakfast Inns around America offered up in the way of muffin delights and found a real treasure trove.

If you happen to live in the area of this inn, or will be traveling there soon, you can check it out. Whenever I travel I like to check the menus of the hotel, inn or local restaurants and plan my excursions around the local food. The local cuisine is half the learning experience when traveling and tells you so much about the culture.

I found the last two recipes while researching a Creative Commons usable photo from Flickr. My fellow photographers definitely like to eat well and enjoy posting many of their favorite recipes. Whenever I get lucky and run across them I try to post those recipes as so many of them are fabulous. Enjoy baking!


*** Remember to support small business in your area and when you travel. Why stay at a Big Business hotel as you travel when you can stay in a more home like atmosphere of a bed and breakfast inn? The prices are comparable, the people friendlier and your stay will be memorable.


Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffins

From: Deacon Timothy Pratt Bed and Breakfast Inn c.1746
325 Main Street
Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475



Email: betterbedbreakfast@pratthouse.net



Ingredients:

6 T. butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 T. Instant Coffee
2 T. coffee flavored liquor (optional)
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 6-muffin pan. In large bowl, beat on medium speed: butter and sugar till light
and fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla, disolve coffee granuules, and coffee liquor until blended.

In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternating with
milk, beating just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Divide batter among muffin-pan cups.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until centers spring back when lightly pressed. Serve warm.







William Shatner’s Cappuccino Chip Muffins

From: William Shatner, star of the Star Trek TV and movie series

Makes: 8-12 muffins (when you fill the tins up to the top you will get 8.)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg (room temp)
1 cup milk (room temp)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips or equivalent of other chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with flour-added cooking spray. For bigger muffins, spray 8 of the cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, espresso powder, cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg lightly. Whisk in milk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Make a well in center of dry ingredients and pour in milk mixture. Stir just until evenly blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide batter among 12 or 8 greased muffin cups. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of muffin comes out clean.






Cappuccino Muffins

From: Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:

Spread (filling)

* 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Muffins

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup milk
* 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips


Directions:

In a food processor (or using a hand mixer), combine the spread ingredients, cover and process until well blended.

Cover and refrigerate until serving.

For the muffins: In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir milk and coffee granules until coffee is dissolved.

Add butter, egg and vanilla; mix well.

Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full (Sprinkle with raw sugar...)


Bake at 375°F for 17-20 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
I used 2tsp of expresso powder instead of the instant coffee and mixed it with the milk to dissolve, added a few extra shakes of cinnamon and extra choc chips. I also overflowed the vanilla flavoring, I baked at 370 for 18-19 mins … made 17 muffins. Very moist and delicious!

Serve with espresso spread.


*** Check out the origin of Muffin Monday recipes: American Revolt: How You Can Break Big Business, Big Banks, Big Insurance, Big Oil, Big Lobbyists

*** Photo by Laura HB @ flickr

*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

Kid Pleasing Easy Brownie Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Photo by THE REYNOLDS KITCHENS

From Denny: OK, what's not to love about this cupcake? It's "genetic code" is chocolate, peanut butter, cream cheese, a fudge brownie mix and peanut butter candies for decorating.

This cupcake guards a secret: you can freeze them! Yay! Another score on the board for an easy recipe. Remember, if they do last long enough to get frozen, be sure to bring them out in enough time to come to room temperature before serving.

If you really feel industrious, make a double batch. Thrill the teacher and the friends in your kid's classroom by supplying them with a batch of these delightful cupcakes! Gifts of food has a way of making new friends. :)


Brownie Peanut Butter Cupcakes

From: The Reynolds Kitchens

Makes: 18 small cupcakes

18 Reynolds Foil Bake Cups or paper cupcake liners for a muffin pan
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup light cream cheese
2 tbls. sugar
1 egg
1 (19-oz. or close) pkg. fudge brownie mix
1/2 cup candy-coated peanut butter candies

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place foil bake cups in muffin pans or on a cookie sheet; set aside.

2. Beat peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar and egg in bowl with electric mixer. Set aside.

3. Prepare brownie mix following package directions. Set aside.

4. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of peanut butter mixture in center of each bake cup. With spoon or small ice cream scoop, fill bake cupshalf full with brownie batter. Sprinkle each brownie cupcake with peanut butter candies.

5. Bake 25 minutes or until baked through. Do not overbake. Cool.

*** THANKS for visiting and come back often for more fun recipes! And a big shout out to the folks in India who read this blog!

Editorial Cartoons 2 Jan 2010

From Denny: Here's a sampling of editorial cartoonists' opinions, love 'em or hate 'em, as to the news and the year and decade that was and what the New Year might bring us:

See Cartoons by Cartoon by R.J. Matson - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

A short video of a few of the New Years fireworks worldwide:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Mike Keefe - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

It's the big ugly fact that if government does not spend the economy will crash down upon our ears. As it is, the banks are still not lending much for car loans and demanding 20% down for houses, creating a shaky economy:

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Larry Wright - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Gary McCoy - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Milt Priggee - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by David Fitzsimmons - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

See Cartoons by Cartoon by Jeff Parker - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

*** For the full post, full of more grinners, over at The Social Poets, go here.

*** THANKS for visiting and have a great weekend!

Catch Up on This Weeks 51 Posts At Dennys Blogs 17 Nov 2009

From Denny: After a year of blogging, I turned around and suddenly realized I've been producing a lot of content. Nor am I silly enough to think you check in every day with every blog. :) So, in case you missed anything this week, here's a menu of various posts all in one place for an easy read - and bookmark - so you can read when you feel like it:

From The Social Poets:

Roundup of Sunday Funnies 16 Nov 2009

Life Advice Poem by Rudyard Kipling

This Weeks Editorial Cartoons 14 Nov 2009

Reflections of That Moment - Libations Friday! 13 Nov 2009

5 Powerful Soul Affirmations, Soul Journey Poem

Funny Money Advice - Cheeky Quote Day! 11 Nov 2009

Musicians Are Territorial Animals, Funny Post by David Thomas

Roundup of Late Night Funnies, Cartoons 9 Nov 2009

From the funny posts at Dennys Funny Quotes and Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd:


From Dennys Funny Quotes:

Funny Secret to Longevity Photo and Story

10 Funny Love Quotes, Funny Cat Photo

Funny Money Advice, Cheeky Quote Day at The Social Poets

Video: Weirdest American Gluttony Foods

3 Paradoxically Funny Head Scratching Quotes

Awww, 7 Funny Dog Photos to Make You Laugh

What's stupidly popular at Dennys Funny Quotes these days:

42 Monday Morning Funny Coffee Quotes, Coffee Cartoon

25 Weird Coffee Trivia to Astound and Amuse You

10 Funny Work Quotes for Monday Morning

5 Monday Morning Posts to Get You Laughing!

From Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd:

9 Funny Socially Inappropriate Store Signs - what gets lost in translation from Chinese or Japanese into English, some really tacky ones!

Ouch! Best Love Story in Three Pictures: Prez Bush and Sec Condi Rice - a bit silly.

Outrageous Video: Overview of World Censorship on the Web - serious look at how content is heavily censored and in which countries, interesting overview.

First Lady Michelle Obama on Leno Show - how the Obamas don't take themselves too seriously.

Odd News Video: Liquor Warehouse Implodes in Russia

Weird News: Man in Breathalizer Costume Arrested by Police

10 Outrageous Glenn Beck Quotes That Prove Insanity

From the food blogs, Romancing The Chocolate and Comfort Food From Louisiana:

From Romancing The Chocolate:

Savory Chocolate Recipe: Mini Hamburger Sliders with Sauce

Chocolate Trivia from Horror Director Hitchcock

Video: Cool Food Gifts for the Holidays, Southern Sweet Chocolate Coconut Pie Recipe

3 Quick Awesome Chocolate Recipes for the Holidays

Chocolate Trivia - Who Are the Biggest Chocolate Gluttons on the Planet?

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake

From Comfort Food From Louisiana:

Video and Recipes: Holiday Challah and Ciabatta Stuffings, Vegetarian and Sausage

Cajun Joke: Boat For Sale by Beaudreaux and Thibodeaux

Video and Recipes: 3 Fabulous New Orleans Sweets

Cajun Joke: Boudreaux and Thibodeaux Fix Destroyed New Orleans Levee

Video: Unbelievable, OK, Weird, Foods and Recipes

Cajun Joke: Boudreaux and Thibodeaux Play Golf

Video and Recipes: Lobster Grits Polenta, Turkey Andouille Sausage Grits Casserole

Coca-Cola Glazed Baby Back Ribs

From Beautiful Illustrated Quotations:

Life is a Gift!

Whats Your Attitude Toward Life?

Veterans Day Quote, Links to Memorial Poems, Peace Quotes

3 Wonderful Quotes About Joy

5 Powerful Soul Affirmations, Soul Journey Poem

How Do You Know If You Have a Weak Mind?

When Something Inside You Dies, Do You Know How to Renew Your Life?

Do You Sell Your Soul For Others Admiration?

From The Healing Waters:

Video: Tim McGraw Making a Difference

Video: Halle Berry Making a Difference for Battered Women

The Perfect Work Quote to Keep Your Head Straight on Monday Mornings

Video: Awareness, and Gibran Quote

*** Thanks for visiting and come back often! :)

Its Cheeky Quote Day at The Social Poets! 9 Sept 2009

From Denny: It's Cheeky Quote Day over at The Social Poets and today I'm featuring another early American entertainer who was a big hit during the dreary Depression years: actress Mae West.

The woman was known for being a bit saucy and downright risque for her time period. She was a child actress in Vaudeville who grew up to write her own comedic material and star in many a Hollywood movie during the 1930's.

To read more about her and enjoy many more rib-tickling quotes from her and a couple of short videos from her movies, go check out Cheeky Quote Day, here.

3 Quotes From Mae West

* I believe in censorship. I made a fortune out of it.

* Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.

* Don't keep a man guessing too long - he's sure to find the answer somewhere else.

For Cheeky Quote Day featuring Mae West, go here.

Recipe: Dennys Decadent Brownies

From Denny: This is my personal brownie recipe I developed over the years of trying different kinds. We like more of a cake brownie in this house as opposed to the gooey kind, though you really can just undercook anything to get that consistency.

Unfortunately, any time you undercook flour for that gooey consistency you are creating something that isn't digested well, and, well, goes straight to fat in the body. Who wants to put on fat easily? No one is that answer! But I still love my chocolate and brownies, so a cake brownie is a (somewhat) healthier idea. :)

This recipe is quick and easy, as fast as pulling out a mix with preservatives, so why not control what goes into your chocolate food?

Dennys Decadent Cake Brownies

Yield: 16 (2-inch) squares

Ingredients:

3 squares unsweetened chocolate

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 large AA eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup sour cream

(You can use full fat sour cream or the lite version we use in this recipe that is 50% less fat. Don't use no fat version as you need some of the oil to make the recipe work right.)

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup chopped pecans (or left whole and placed on top instead on in the batter)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. and grease an 8”x8”x2” square pan.

Melt chocolate and butter carefully in a double boiler over simmering hot water. If you are adept at melting in the microwave without burning the chocolate, this is a faster method – just make sure you stop it every 10 seconds or so to stir, otherwise the chocolate will either burn or separate.

Add sugar, then eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture, stirring well to incorporate. (Brownie dough is best mixed by hand as it becomes stiff dough.)

Add sour cream and stir just until incorporated; don’t over mix. Add chocolate chips and pecans – unless you want to place pecans, whole or chopped, on top.

Bake at 350° F. for 20 – 23 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center of the pan. Some people like their brownies under cooked and others more so, your preference.

Frosting

In Louisiana, in lieu of frosting we like to sprinkle powdered sugar over everything: beignets (donuts), cakes, cookies, anything chocolate, especially brownies.

If you prefer a thin easy frosting here is a favorite.

Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

1 square unsweetened chocolate

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

A few Tablespoons hot water

Directions:

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or microwave, stirring well. When smooth, now remove from the heat and add the sugar, making a thick paste. Add the vanilla. Add hot water a little at a time until you have a spreadable consistency. Keep adding hot water 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired level – thinner works better and spreads on faster. How much hot water you use will depend upon what time of year you are making this frosting because of the humidity in the air. Enjoy!

Recipe: Make You Own Devils Food Cake Mix!

Devils Food Cake Image by Sifu Renka via Flickr

From Denny: Are you tired of using a cake mix because you find it uninspiring, bland tasting or are uncomfortable with the food additives and preservatives? Fear not! It's an easy recipe to make from scratch with little effort as if you were using a cake mix!

As a child, when I first went to make this cake I was fascinated with the unusual color AND the name. My English teacher Aunt Noelle, who was pitch-hitting for my mother since my mother had died that summer, was teaching me how to bake, told me the funny name came from the reddish color as people thought for sure this cake must have come out of hell itself as it tasted so good it was sinful! Then she went on to instruct me in the science of how to get that cake color because of the reaction of the cocoa powder and the baking soda. After that I was hooked for a lifetime and have enjoyed this simple cake ever since!

To show you how simple it is, here is a recipe straight from Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary Edition Cookbook:

Devil's Food Cake

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes
Oven: 350 degrees F.
Cooling time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients:

3 eggs

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (this isn't a fussy cake that requires special flour)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening (try canola oil or unsalted clarified butter)

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups cold water

Directions:

Allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 9x1 1/2-inch or 8x1 1/2-inch round cake pans or grease one 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt;set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until well combined. Add eggs 1 at a time; beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and water to shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan or pans.

Bake in a 350 degree F. over for 25 to 30 minutes for 9-inch pans, 30 to 35 minutes for 8-inch or 13x9x2-inch pans - or until a wooden toothpick or cake wire inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes in the pans. Then remove from the pans. Cool thoroughly on wire racks. You can just leave the larger sheet cake in the pan (the pan size of 13x9x2-inch). Frost with desired frosting.

From Denny: I'm a big fan of chocolate ganache so I'll give this one. It's also less effort than most frostings with powdered sugar and butter.

Ganache

Start to finish time: 35 minutes

Yield: just under 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup whipping cream

12 ounces chopped milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate

Directions:

In a medium saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Add the chopped chocolate of your choice. Resist the temptation to stir. Let stand 5 minutes. Then stir until smooth. Cool for 15 minutes. Spoon evenly over cake (which is why using this frosting works best with a one layer cake). To make things easy on yourself: pull out a cookie sheet, line with waxed paper, then place your wire rack with the cooled cake layer on top of this. This setup will catch all the drips and contain the mess as you "frost" with ganache.

Here's another twist on the ganache so you can use this frosting for the top and middle layers and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch size cake so it looks like a conventional cake:

Truffle Frosting:

Ingredients are doubled from above recipe:

2 cups whipping cream

24 ounces chopped milk chocolate only

Directions: Prepare the Ganache as in the above recipe. Instead of cooling for 15 minutes, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Cover and chill mixture overnight. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds or until fluffy and of spreading consistency when ready to frost cake the next day.

Read a Tribute Poem About Michael Jackson

Word Cloud Photo by Denny Lyon
Copyright 2 July 2009
All Rights Reserved

Read a tribute poem about the passing of a music legend over at The Social Poets blog under this post of a coffee recipe and a poem:

Libations Friday! 3 July 2009

Have a safe weekend, everyone! Thanks for visiting!

Denny

Totally Ridiculous Comedy: Jacks Nightclub

Totally Ridiculous Comedy: Jacks Nightclub

By Denny Lyon @ HubPages

From Denny: "I like nonsense - it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope... and that enables you to laugh at all of life's realities." - Dr. Seuss

Wrote this recently as a raucous fast-paced ridiculous short story. It's really a bit long to post here and when that happens I park those writes over at HubPages. Take a look and you will be amused! Thanks for visiting!

Here's an excerpt from my world of the ridiculous:

"Jack jumped over the electric blue fox - who was hunting down the orange cat - who was preying upon the stupid cockroach that was having an identity crisis - and believed he was a popular dragonfly down at the local Irish pub - because he sang Irish songs everyone loved and wrote some damn good poetry.

The orange cat circled back to chase the identity crisis cockroach - who just knew he was really Irish in a former life - while the blue fox preened and bathed in the fast-paced lights of the nightclub – this fox enthusiastically embraced blue as the new fashion neutral - it was Jack who was looking for the weird alien orange cat that kept eluding him - who was stalking the brave Irish-singing cockroach determined to make it to Broadway.

The powerful-singing cockroach drowned out the elegant Irish pub-singing dragonfly - and soon the people customers complained about the strange odd noises blaring from the rising platform – it was two ants standing on a leaf singing opera - and more ants joined them from the audience singing 49 Bottles of Guinness Beer on the Wall and Get Down Tonight! – and soon the nightclub was jumping and bumping - and the people were dancing and squishing and splatting the friendly ants - who got the place hopping on a Saturday night in the first place."

For the rest of the story just click on the title link!

Recipe: Sour Cream Chocolate Spice Cake With Penuche Fudge Frosting

From Denny: Featured recently in our local newspaper, this retro recipe was a big hit. I'd include the link to the newspaper except that it's useless as a link since they started archiving their recipes after a week and then force you to pay for them. For years the recipes were easily available and always free - long before this economic downturn.

This is a cake that would taste better the second day so the cinnamon and chocolate flavors could mellow out some. The flavor notes are brassier the first day, calming down to perfection by the second day. Try making the cake layers first and frosting on the second day (takes up less room in the fridge).

I've always had a soft spot for a chocolate cake made with sour cream as they play well together. Give this version a try! The brown sugar in the icing is a divine pairing with the chocolate cake portion. Maybe it's the molasses spun back into the processed white sugar to make the dark brown version. A small amount of molasses does not over power but rather adds a note of depth to food. (I even use dark brown sugar in my spaghetti and marinara sauces! Oops! The Secret is out...)

Enjoy this yummy cake. If you are a huge frosting fan you might want to double up on the batch for this cake as the news folks complained the frosting recipe was a bit skimpy. I'm not a fan of frosting unless it's a ganache so this recipe of a thin amount of frosting is fine with me. You decide what you like, enjoy!


Sour Cream Chocolate Spice Cake With Penuche Fudge Frosting

From: “The Country Fair Cookbook” by Alison Boteler

Makes: one (8-inch) 2-layer cake

Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa

1-1/2 tsps. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsps. cinnamon

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Penuche Fudge Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two (8-inch) round pans with baking parchment.

2. Combine flour, sugars, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in large mixing bowl.

3. Add butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla and beat at low speed of electric mixer for 30 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl with rubber spatula and beat at high speed 2 minutes. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and beat 1 minute longer.

4. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

5. Cool layers completely. Remove from pans and peel off baking parchment. Fill and frost sides and top with frosting.

Testing note: Cake is moister and mellower tasting the second day. It does not need to be stored in the refrigerator, but it does need to be covered with a cake dome or plastic wrap. I found that 35 minutes was an adequate baking time.

Penuche Fudge Frosting

From: “The Country Fair Cookbook” by Alison Boteler

Makes: enough for one (8-inch layer cake)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Melt butter in large saucepan. Blend in brown sugar and bring to boil, stirring constantly.

2. Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring.

3. Stir in milk and return to boil. Remove from heat and cool until mixture is lukewarm to touch.

4. Slowly whisk in powdered sugar. Place pan in bowl of ice water and beat until frosting is of spreading consistency.

5. If frosting becomes too stiff to spread, beat in a few drops of milk.

New Additions to Photo Blog Roll!

From Denny: "Can I tell ya?" Spent hours and hours this past weekend pouring over some awesome photo blogs, amateur and professional alike, sifting through them to place the BEST on my blog roll for you! There are about 70 choices now - around there, I lost count... :)

If you enjoy looking at photos and want to see what is going on in the photo blogosphere then this is a good place to start. My blog roll list is located at my photo blog, Visual Insights.

Talk about a wonderful way to while away a few hours with beautiful and thought-provoking photos! Take a look and enjoy! Go here.

Recipe: Dennys Tapas Style Brownies

Dennys Tapas Style Brownies: "Want your chocolate brownie but also want a healthier yet tasty version? Read on!

For the past twenty years or so the American brownie has grown to gargantuan proportions. One brownie really could serve four people! The trend has been to undercook the batter to a gooey center. Well, folks, read that as why Americans have gotten so fat."

From Denny: I'm especially proud of this new and healthier brownie recipe. The chocolate taste reigns supreme but in smaller portion form and with a lot less sugar and gluten that cause weight gain.

I had a lot of fun developing this recipe yesterday and just had to share with my fellow chocolate foodies! Enjoy!


Photo by Denny Lyon

Todays Blogging: Born from Yesterdays Underground Newspapers

Todays Blogging: Born from Yesterdays Underground Newspapers: "Read the real life story of the amusing transition from subversive underground newspaper writer to today’s blogger."

What has this got to do with chocolate? Are you kidding? With a typewriter in one hand in those days, the other was on a Hershey's chocolate almond bar. Chocolate rules in the world of blogging!

By Denny Lyon
Photo by heliosphan @ flickr

Newest Health Care Plan: Food as Medicine

Newest Health Care Plan: Food as Medicine - "OK, so what does the minor political rant have to do with food as medicine you ask? Plenty. When jobs are scarce or people are underemployed – like most of America right now with 100,000 each week entering those unhappy ranks – people make really bad food choices.

Because of job and ensuing financial stress they go to sugar, lots of carbohydrates and low quality meats. With stress on the rise during this tough economic time worldwide, wallets and bank accounts depleted, it’s time to think of food as medicine."

By Denny Lyon
Photo by Zest-pk @ flickr

Blog has new look and color!

Hope you enjoy this new color and format for this blog! After a few months with narrow columns even I was getting bug-eyed looking at it.

While I did look for a wonderful chocolate color as the background there wasn't one that seemed a good fit for all of us. So, I started thinking: what is the one thing all of us chocolate loving types have in common? Joy! And orange is the color of joy, the joy of eating chocolate!

Also, went to a wider format as I thought you all might find it easier to read the recipes clearly and find it more comfortable to copy and paste these recipes. The gray text is easy on the eyes compared to the warm background.

Why Blogger doesn't have a printer function available is beyond me. So, if you'd rather follow a recipe while it is on the screen rather than print I thought this wider format would be far more user friendly for us all!

Let me know your thoughts!

Obama is now the 44th President!

Just finished watching Obama's speech and other news coverage - what an historic time, what emotion for millions around the world. There must be millions of people crowded together on the Washington Mall. It reminds me of when the Pope in Rome, Italy celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Square and a million strong gather.

Interesting is that the ceremony ran a little long and by so doing Obama became the 44th President exactly at noon BEFORE he took the oath of office four minutes later. How many of you knew that bit of trivia?

Congrats Mr. President! May you be successful in all endeavors.

Denny

A new day is here!
Photo by stephentrepreneur @ flickr

I Am Not A Chocoholoc!

I Am Not A Chocoholoc ! - This is a fun article from a new friend over at HubPages who talks about how chocolate is so user friendly, like a member of the family! You will enjoy her!

Just how much do you really like chocolate?

Just how much do you really like chocolate? - As I write on HubPages, they have this area where you can make requests for other people to write about your question - or "hub" as they call it. This writer answered my request and her chocolate story of a friend was most unusual!

Photo by hfb @ flickr

Tips for Saving on Groceries and Food Leftovers Ideas

Photo by Denny Lyon of a slice of red velvet cake


Tips for Saving on Groceries and Food Leftovers Ideas - Who doesn't want to have more money to spend on chocolate - or red velvet cake?

In this fun article there is a video of a woman from Washington state who saves 80% of her food budget. She is willing to tell all as it is a simple plan that makes sense.