justJENN recipes

When I look for dessert recipes for the Kid, I look for things without chocolate cause he’s allergic. However, he CAN have cocoa powder. It’s the chocolate chips that have, something, (probably the dairy in them) that causes him to break out. So I found this chocolate cake recipe in “Hawaii’s Best Local Desserts” that seemed decent. Although it just so happens that it had no butter or eggs which is ridiculous. What’s the point? Just don’t eat dessert for christ’s sake. Anyway, it turned out good and moist and now the Kid can have cake. Yay for him.

ingredients:
2-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup oil
3 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
14 ounces of water + 2 heaping teaspoons of instant coffee

topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the coffee and the water thoroughly. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingrendients, then add everything else until well mixed. Just mixed enough - don’t beat it to death. This is a great recipe because you don’t need a mixer. Just a spoon and a bowl.

Pour into a 9×13 inch pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This cake is moist and holds it’s shape well. It’s a nice light cake for teas and showers.

Soaking a turkey in brine is the best way to make it moist and delicious. The salt soaks into the meat and tenderizes the bird. Here’s how you do it.
ingredients:
1 gallon vegetable broth
2 TB molasses
1 cup salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 TB black peppercorns
1/2 TB allspice berries
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 gallon iced water

Get a giant pot for the stove top. Combine all the brine ingredients (not the iced water) to a boil then cool down to room temp. Now add the iced water to the brine, and mix.

Get a large CLEAN bucket and pour in half of the cooled brine. Make sure you only put half! The weight of the turkey will make the water level rise.

Then lower the bird into the bucket - partially filled with the brine…Now pour in the rest of the brine, covering the turkey as best you can. Cover with foil and place in the fridge overnight. Approx. 8 hours.

In the morning, remove the bird from the brine and pat the turkey dry. Mix up a rub of garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and rub it on the outside - don’t forget the inside too…very important for flavor!

Now to add even more aromatics, chop an apple in half and throw it inside the cavity. We just happened to have an apple but you can use an orange or an onion just as well.

Throw that sucker in the oven. The best way to test to see if a turkey’s done is to use a probe thermometer. When it reaches approx. 165, you’re pretty good to go.

Here is the lovely finished product. Make sure you let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before you carve it, or else you will lose all of those vital juices.

Now eat up, you deserve it.

I gotta say, I never used to be a fan of lychee, however, upon special request - I tried to make Lychee Sorbet, and guess what, it was GREAT!

ingredients:
4 cans lychee
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice

How cute is this, when you pull off the top of the can, there is a little collapsible spoon inside? Like, hello, who is in that much of a hurry to eat lychee for god’s sakes.

Anyway - I kept them cause I thought they were cute - and could possibly be used for the baby when we’re on the go.

Ok, this part makes me sick, lychees look kinda like eyeballs and are slimy and gross, don’t mind that, just throw them in the blender.

Put all lychees in blender, blend to smooth. Add sugar and orange juice and blend once more. Add to ice cream maker.

I spared you a picture of the stuff being all blended, it looked a little like vomit, but trust me, it will taste great…

Refreeze for about and hour and you’re ready to serve! This is a very refreshing fruity treat.

It tastes REALLY good with shave ice. Here’s a pic from a shave ice party I had. Green tea ice cream. Mochi balls. Sweet red bean. Condensed Milk. Yum!

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These brownies were based on the Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe. I changed it to suit my tastes - and boy are they delicious. Also, very pretty.

ingredients:
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) butter
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces cream cheese
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 inch square baking pan - or line it with buttered parchment paper.

Place butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl OVER a saucepan of boiling water. Essentially, you are making your own double boiler, if you do not have one. Stir the butter and chocolate until fully melted. Be very careful, this is hot and dangerous. Once smooth, set aside and let cool.

In a separate bowl, start the cream cheese mixture. It is helpful if these ingredients are at room temperature. Whisk 4 ounces of cream cheese with the 2 Tablespoons of butter. Add the 1/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg and 2 Tablespoons of flour. Stir in the mini chocolate chips and set aside.

Now go back to the melted chocolate. Add the sugar to the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Then add the eggs, and the vanilla. In a another small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. (I know, I know, back and forth, but it’s worth it, let me tell you.) Now add that flour mixture to the chocolate mixture until moist, don’t overmix.

Pour 3/4 of the batter into the prepared pan. Then pour the cream cheese mixture over that. Add the rest of the batter and swirl using a knife. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached - 50 to 60 minutes. I gotta say, I like my brownies a little drier so I bake it longer, just watch out - the color of the cream cheese will change to a tan, and if that doesn’t bother you, then go for it. It still tastes delicious no matter what.

I made these as a gift and put them in a glass container. They swirls look lovely peeking out from behind the glass as if to say…EAT ME!