Party Food

Brownies

Making good brownies is not about the recipe you use, but the technique. My baker once overcooked the brownies and my client called and said they were dry. I knew exactly what happened. I baked again, being careful not to over bake and the client was happy.

I love a chewy brownie with a smooth ganache icing. It’s a marriage made in heaven! Enjoy

Brownies

Inspired by recipe from The Art Institute

Course Cookie, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate, ganache

Servings 23

Equipment

12×18 sheet pan
mixer
flat wire whisk

Ingredients

2 5/8 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound butter
9 eggs
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup heavy cream
1 2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Melt chocolate in a double boiler and set aside to cool.
Cream together the sugar, salt and butter, using a paddle in the mixing bowl on #2 for 5 minutes.
Add the eggs and mix on #2 for another 5 minutes, scrape the bowl.
Add the flour, chocolate, baking powder and vanilla; mix on #1 until well blended.
Line baking sheet with foil and butter. Pour in the brownies mix spreading out even.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Do not over bake.
Cool thoroughly and spread the top with chocolate ganache.
Cut 4×6 rows to make 24 brownies.

Chocolate Ganache

Heat 1 cup of heavy cream to a simmer. Add 1 2/3 cups semi sweet chocolate chips remove from heat Let set a few minutes to melt the chocolate. stir with a wire whisk to completely melt the chocolate and mix the ganache to a pourable consistency.

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Pumpkin Bars- An Easy Fall Dessert

Two of my first mentors were Jane Noland and Miriam King. They both taught courses that included a vegetable lab. Each lab dish included a vegetable- even the dessert. Pumpkin Bars were an easy favorite that called for canned pumpkin. The use of vegetable oil and baking on an ungreased jelly roll pan furthermore made the recipe fast and easily manageable in a one hour lab. The recipe results in a moist cake topped with cream cheese frosting and topped with a sprinkling of pecans. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Bars

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword bars, cream cheese frosting, pecans, pumpkin

Servings 12

Author Jane Noland and Miriam King

Equipment

1 jelly roll pan

Ingredients

4 each eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 16 oz can pumpkin
2 cups flour AP
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy.
Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.
Add to pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly.
Spread batter onto ungreased jelly roll pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream together 3 oz cream cheese and 1 stick of softened butter. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 2 cups powdered sugar a little at a time. Spread on cool cake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans if desired.

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, at no cost to you. Products are examples of what I own or what I recommend in order to help you make the best choice for you. Thank you for your support.

Candied Jalapenos

My youngest daughter was working at a local antique store that sold canned food for gifts. One was candied jalapenos. My daughter loved them so much she was eating a jar a day. So in self defense, I started work on developing a recipe. That was more than 25 years ago and the recipe is still a hit. We love it on a cracker with cream cheese then topped with one or more slices of jalapenos. You can also serve on a log of cream cheese with crackers or crisp bread. Enjoy!

Candied Jalapenos

Great served over cream cheese on a cracker

Course Appetizer, Party Food, Relish, Snack

Cuisine Tex Mex

Keyword jalapenos

Servings 5 one cup jars

Author stevens1951

Equipment

1 water bath canning pot
5 one cup jars with lids and rings
1 stainless steel dutch oven or pot
1 set canning equipment lifter, canning funnel, magnetic lid lifter, ladle
1 large tong

Ingredients

3 pounds jalapeno peppers or a combination of peppers firm and washed
2 cups cider vinegar
6 cups white granulated sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp celery seed
3 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp cayenne optional

Instructions

Sterilize jars and lids by placing in a large pot and boiling for 10 minutes.
Following water bath canning instructions, insert the wire rack in the bottom, add water and heat to a simmer.
Slice peppers and place in stainless steel pot.
Add all ingredients except sugar and cook 10 minutes until peppers are tender.
Add sugar and stir over low heat until dissolved.
Using tongs, empty water out of one jar and place on towel covered tray. Insert canning funnel into jar and fill with peppers to the bottom of the rim. Continue same process with remaining jars.
Cook remaining syrup for 5 minutes. Pour over peppers filling the jar up to 1/2 inch from the top.
Wipe top of jar rims with damp paper towel to remove all pepper residue and sugar that would prevent sealing. Use magnetic lid lifter or tongs to place a lid and band on top of each jar. Screw on band hand tight.
Using lifter, place each jar in the canner. Add hot water to cover the jars. (I use the water for sterilizing the jars.) Cover with lid and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
TTurn off heat and leave in water for 5 minutes. Remove with lifter and place on towel covered tray to cool. The lids will pop and seal as they cool. Allow to cool overnight.
Make labels for jars and store at room temperature.

Notes

I like to dress up my jars by making Avery Labels at avery.com. The labels shown are Avery 22855.

I weigh out my peppers and adjust the recipe accordingly.

For precise instructions on water bath canning, follow instructions at https://www.freshpreserving.com/blog?cid=water-bath-canning

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, at no cost to you. Products are examples of what I own or what I recommend in order to help you make the best choice for you. Thank you for your support.

Thai Ribbons

Here is another recipe at Stevens Catering that you cannot make enough of. I once saw a teenage girl with a plate full of only Thai Ribbons. It was the first time we served them and I knew we would not have enough to serve everyone the 2 per person serving the recipe allowed. It is one of the joys of catering and I love it when people enjoy food.

This recipe calls for Mr. Yoshida’s Original Gourmet Sauce which I haven’t found lately in local stores, but you can order online. Teriyaki Sauce is a good substitute . I served it as an appetizer but it would be great as a meal served with stir-fried rice. Enjoy!

Thai Ribbons

Inspired by The Texas Beef Council, http://www.txbeef.org

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword chili peppers, flank steak, ginger root

Servings 24 servings

Author stevens1951

Equipment

grill
24 bamboo skewers

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds flank steak
3/4 cup Mr Yoshida's Original Gourmet Sauce
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 ounces fresh ginger root finely chopped
1/3 cup garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon red chili peppers crushed

Instructions

Prepare marinade mixture by mixing Mr. Yoshida's, oil, ginger, garlic and peppers. Cover and refrigerate. Soak bamboo skewers in water so they won't burn.
Cut beef diagonally, against the grain, into 1/2 inch slices. Marinate in mixture for a few hours in the refrigerator. Beef can be marinated overnight.
Thread each slice on a bamboo skewer. Grill until desired doneness.
Serve as an appetizer or over rice as a main dish.

This post includes affiliate links where I may get a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

Caramelized Bacon

There were a few recipes at Stevens Catering that we could not make enough of. Guests kept coming back for more until it was all gone. This is one of those recipes. I finally learned to ask clients how much to make and they understood when it was gone I would remove the serving dish from the table and guests would eat other things. Ina Garten did a great job on this recipe and it is just that good. Enjoy!

Caramelized Bacon

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof, Ina Garten, page 31

Course Appetizer, Party Food

Cuisine American

Keyword bacon, brown sugar, cayenne, maple syrup, pecans

Equipment

sheet pan
Food processor

Ingredients

1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
1/2 cup chopped or whole pecans
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 pound thick-sliced Applewood-smoked bacon I use Wright's Hickory Smoked

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil (for easy cleaning) and place a wire baking rack on top.
Combine the brown sugar and pecans in a food processor and process until the pecans are finely ground. Add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and pulse to combine. Add the maple syrup and pulse again to moisten the crumbs.
Cut each bacon slice in half crosswise and line up the pieces on the baking rack without touching. With a small spoon, evenly spread the pecan mixture on top of each piece of bacon, using all of the mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is very browned but not burnt. If it's underbaked, the bacon won't crisp as it cools.
While its hot, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside to cool. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

These can be made early in the day and stored at room temperature.

This post includes affiliate links where I may get a small commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support.

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