Entertaining « Gourmet and Comfort Food Blog by Two Hot Potatoes

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S'more Brownies?

Wednesday April 18th 2012

This brownie recipe is the most indulgent of all the indulgent brownie recipes. I honestly couldn’t even finish a whole brownie because it was so ridiculously decadently rich. But those few bites…heavenly.

I love s’mores. I grew up going to an all girls summer camp every summer where nights ended with campfires and s’mores or doughboys (basically dough, cinnamon and sugar). And I was always a s’more girl. If it wasn’t for the whole “fire hazard” on the terrace thing I would definitely be serving s’mores at my mountain wedding.

Last year, I made a s’more pie. And it was good and pretty simple, but it wasn’t mind blowing. These brownies entail a few steps, but the effort is worth it. Be prepared to share – I promise you can’t eat these all on your own.

You can skip the ganache layer if you’re hesitant about the richness, but I like the depth that it adds.

S’more Brownies

Graham Cracker Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (15 cracker sheets)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Brownie
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

Chocolate Ganache
3 oz semi sweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 TBS unsalted butter

Toasted Marshmallow Topping
You have a couple options here. You can use miniature marshmallows, one jar of fluff marshmallow spread, or giant marshmallows lined up and packed in tightly.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 13×9 (thinner brownies) or 8×8 (thicker brownies) pan. Make the graham cracker crust by combining the graham crumbs, sugar, and butter in a large bowl. Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan – creating an even 1/4″ thick crust. Put the crust in the oven for around 4-5 minutes. Remove pan from oven to add brownie batter (obviously).

Place the chocolate and the butter in a large bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes on high heat, until the butter is melted. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Stir in the sugar. Mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined, about 1 minute. Blend in the flour, mixing until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it one final stir.

Pour the brownie batter over the crust in the pan and spread evenly to the sides.

Bake for 30-35 minutes (5-10 minutes more if you’re using the 8×8 pan), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few fudgy crumbs. The top should be shiny. Let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

While the brownies are cooking, create your chocolate ganache.

Melt the chopped chocolate, cream, and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water (or you can heat in a microwave safe bowl at 30 second increments). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature and then spread the ganache over the brownies.

Lastly, turn on your oven’s broiler. Spread the marshmallows over the cooled brownies. Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until the marshmallows begin to brown. Watch them carefully because once they begin to brown, they can burn very quickly. Let the pan cool. The devour.

Vinegar-Braised Chicken with Leeks

Tuesday April 10th 2012

My pictures of this dish really didn’t do it justice. I know it’s time for me to breakdown and buy a grownup camera so I can take some decent pictures, but I’m buying a wedding this year instead. So instead I’m going to post the image from Food & Wine, give it credit, and hope I don’t get sued. Especially since this blog doesn’t make any money.

I originally saw this recipe on pinterest, and it peaked my interest because of the vinegar component. My dear sister just took a trip to Paris and brought me home a lovely little bottle of white vinegar with fresh herbs. I almost hated to open it as it made me feel 10% more sophisticated when it was displayed on my countertop, but I was excited to see what it would bring to this recipe.

Anyway, I could have eaten this sauce as a soup. No lie. I’m sure it would have made me ill, but it also would have made me ridiculously happy. I’m not sure why I’ve never made a sauce with creme fraiche before, but I’m certainly going to add it to my regular rotation. Such a nice, bright, creamy surprise.

This could easily be a weeknight dinner, or served on a big platter for entertaining. The original recipes called for peas, but there’s a certain someone in my household who refuses to eat peas (at the opposite end of the spectrum, I’ll eat peas straight from the can).

: photo credit: Food & Wine

Vinegar-braised Chicken with Leeks (adapted from Food & Wine)

4 whole chicken legs
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large leeks, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 cup crème fraîche

Preheat the oven to 425° and position a rack in the upper third. Turn the chicken legs skin side down on a work surface and cut halfway through the joint. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.

In each of 2 large nonstick skillets, heat half of the butter and oil. Add the chicken, skin side up, and cook over high heat until browned, 5 minutes. Turn and cook the chicken for 1 minute. Pile all of the chicken into one skillet.

In the other skillet, cook the leeks over high heat until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and vinegar and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into a medium roasting pan.

Set the chicken on the leeks, skin side up; roast for about 25 minutes, until it is cooked through. Turn on the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, until the skin is golden and crisp. Transfer the chicken to a platter.

Place the roasting pan over a burner and boil over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the herbs and crème fraîche and simmer until the sauce is hot and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Crispy Duck Breast with Brown Butter and Sage Pasta

Tuesday March 27th 2012

If duck is on the menu at a restaurant, you can guarantee I’m going to order it. There’s just something about that fatty, crispy skin that I find irresistible. But, as many times as I’ve had good duck, I’ve had bad, overcooked, gamey tasting duck.

I’ve been meaning to make it at home for quite awhile, but I’ve yet to find anything but frozen duck breasts at the grocery store. That is until I stopped by Bolsa Mercado on Sunday afternoon and stumbled upon them. I didn’t exactly have a plan for what I was going to do with them, but I figured worse case scenario I end up with a bunch of duck fat that I could fry potatoes (or anything!) with.

And after reading quite a bit about how to prepare them, I ended up deciding a simple approach was best. So the only ingredient in this recipe is truly duck breasts (I’m not counting salt & pepper). Since the duck breasts actually cook in their own duck fat you really can’t go wrong.

Not that I need to eat duck breasts every night, but preparing them is simple enough that I could. And if the crispy duck breast isn’t enough to satisfy you, then you should probably add this brown butter and sage pasta. For health.

Crispy Duck Breasts

Four duck breasts halves (skin on)
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 to 400 degrees F.

Score each breast shallowly in a crisscross fashion. Do not slice to the meat. These cuts allows the fat to render into the pan and the skin to get crispy.

Use a cast iron or stainless steel skillet – I don’t recommend using a non stick skillet as it needs to be oven proof. Sprinkle each breast on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat skillet over medium high heat. Place duck breasts skin side down and cook for about 5 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. Remember watch it carefully you want to crisp the skin, but not overcook the meat. Reserve the delicious duck fat before placing in the oven.

Place your skillet with your duck breasts into the preheated oven. Cook for about 12 minutes or until medium rare. Remember watch your duck carefully because cooking time varies on how thick your breast is and how much has already cooked through on stove top. It will also carry over cook once you remove from oven. If you have a thermometer it should read about 125 to 130.

Do not turn your breasts. It still should be skin side down.

Remove to warm plate skin side up and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and then slice about 1/2 inch thick and on the diagonal.

Brown Butter and Sage Pasta (Mario Batali)

Pasta, of choice
4 tablespoons butter
8 sage leaves
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
While your pasta cooks, melt butter in a 12 to 14-inch saute pan and continue cooking until golden brown color (“noisette”) appears in the thinnest liquid of the butter. Add sage leaves and remove from heat. Add lemon juice and set aside. Drain the pasta, but leaving some cooking water, and gently pour into saute pan and return to heat. Add the cheese, toss to coat and serve immediately.

Top Five Easy Holiday Dishes

Thursday December 22nd 2011

I am officially engulfed in the holiday spirit.

I have a sadly decorated tree. I am permanently listening to the Holly station on XM. I have cheerfully gone to the mall. Multiple times. I bought a bag full of clothes and gifts for little Pedro and Maria, my Salvation Army Angels. I have officially wrapped all my presents. I’ve been regularly watching Love Actually. And I’ve even admired the Kardashian 3D Christmas card.

But the one thing I haven’t started thinking about is cooking. I always get so wrapped up in the rest of the holiday season that cooking usually becomes an afterthought. I’m not sure why – the holiday season is a season for eating. A lot.

But, if you’re like me, and you’re rushing to the grocery store on Christmas Eve, make sure to check out the dishes below and arm yourself with their ingredients. They’re simple, easy to make, and definite crowd pleasers.

Chai Gingerbread Bars

These bars are super versatile. Eat them for breakfast? Sure. Eat them for dessert with whipped cream on top? Definitely. These stay fresh for days if you keep them in an airtight container. My only recommendation – make two batches.

Spiked Apple Cider

Can you celebrate the holidays without a cocktail? I’m really not sure. And this one is made in the crockpot, so you know it’s legit. You could also make it on the stove, and make your house smell like holiday heaven.

Cannelini Beans with Bacon, Tomato and Sage

I’m not sure about you, but I get tired of the same old side dishes. I know beans is a weird addition to the holiday list, but they have tomatoes & sage, so they’re red and green so technically they’re a perfect addition. This would be a fabulous side dish to a roast beef tenderloin served with some steamed asparagus, salad and bread. Super easy meal for entertaining.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ginger and molasses scream the holiday season to me. So why ignore that scream? These cookies are always a kid/grandma/weird cousin pleaser, so make them for a party or make them for yourself!

Thomas Keller’s Roasted Chicken

Anyone who knows me at all will not be surprised by this dish on the list. A roasted chicken is one of the most simple, elegant, comforting meals you can serve. When all else fails, roast a chicken. Serve it with crusty bread and a green salad, and you’re done. And by Christmas, people are usually tired of turkeys so it’s time for the roasted chicken to make a surprise appearance.

So that’s it. The top five hot potato holiday recommendations. We hope everyone has a merry & bright and delicious holiday season.

Hugs,

Sarah & Angela

Stuffed Cornish Game Hens

Monday December 19th 2011

I love a cornish game hen. So cute and easy and perfect for entertaining.

I’ve made them several different times, but I’ve never actually attempted stuffing one, like a turkey. But I felt like it would be good practice if I ever get called up to the Thanksgiving big leagues in my family and have to stuff the family turkey. As of right now, I’m still assigned chores like filling water glasses and setting the table. And I sit at the kids table. Sigh.

Anyway, the cornish game hen is good, but the stuffing was excellent. And it’s no surprise that it comes from my old friend Martha Stewart. The queen of holiday meals.

It’s actually a quite simple recipe, especially when you cheat and buy Whole Foods cornbread.

Stuffed Cornish Game Hens

2 Cornish Game Hens (20-24 oz each)
Cornbread, bacon, leek and stuffing (recipe below)

1/2 stick of butter
Salt & Pepper to taste

Stuff each hen with 3/4 cup stuffing and pat the butter on top. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

Place extra stuffing in a greased 1-qt. baking dish; refrigerate. Place hens breast side up on a rack in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 375° for 45 minutes.

Bake 15-30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, for 30 minutes. Yield: 2 servings.

Cornbread, Bacon, Leek and Pecan Stuffing

2 cups pecans
2 cornbreads (rounds, squares, or loaves, 8 inches each), coarsely broken into 2-inch pieces (16 cups)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for dish
8 slices smoked bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 celery stalks, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 leeks (white and pale-green parts only), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, rinsed well
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven for 7 minutes. Let cool slightly; coarsely chop. Mix together pecans and cornbread in a large bowl.

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cook bacon in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add celery and leeks. Cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in thyme and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt; season with pepper. Transfer to a large bowl

Return skillet to medium-high heat, and add stock; bring to a simmer, scraping up brown bits and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add to bowl with bacon-vegetable mixture. Stir in eggs. Gently mix in cornbread mixture. (Do not overmix.) Transfer to baking dish. Dot top with butter. Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes.

Flounder with Rock Shrimp in Saffron Citronette

Thursday November 17th 2011

I’m continuing to pour over the Babbo cookbook I received as a gift this past summer. Some of the recipes are surprisingly simple, yet they always deliver flavorful results. This isn’t one of the surprisingly simple recipes. It’s quite a few steps, but they’re certainly not complicated.

This recipe originally called for skate wings, which I actually LOVE. But they’re tough to find here in Dallas, so I settled for flounder. It was a nice substitute to let the flavors of this dish really sing – especially the sweet clam citronette. Although I’ll confess, I don’t really like clams that much. I think it’s because I adore mussels, and clams always feel like a poor substitute. But if you like clams, keep them in there, because I think they would be a nice addition to the dish.

This is definitely a dinner party dish – it looks impressive, and fish is always a crowd pleaser when you’re not sure who eats what.

Sauteed Flounder and Rock Shrimp in a Saffron Sweet Clam Citronette (Babbo Cookbook)

Serves 4

4 Flounder filets (6-8 ounces each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Wondra flour
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 shallots, finely chopped
1 bunch of arugula
1/2 pound rock shrimp or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound New Zealand cockles, scrubbed
1 cup saffron cironette
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Season the flounder with salt and pepper and dredge both sides in Wondra. In a 14-16 inch saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat until just smoking. Add the flounder and cook 4-5 minutes. Turn the fish, add half the shallots, and cook until the fish is golden brown and cooked through, 4-5 minutes more.

2. Once the fish has been cooked, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and the arugula. Season with salt and pepper and toss over high heat for 1 minute to wilt but not cook completely. Divide the arugula among 4 warmed bowls, and place one flounder filet atop each bed of arugula.

3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan with a cover, combine the rock shrimp, cockles, citronette, white wine, and remaining shallots. Cover, bring to a boil, and cook until the shrimp are cooked through and the cockles have opened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the shellfish and broth evenly among the four bowls, pouring the broth over the flounder. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

Saffron Citronette
makes 2-1/2 cups

1 cup champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Spanish saffron threads
1/2 a medium red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
zest and juice of one lemon
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, saffron threads, and red onion and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until reduced to one third of the original volume, remove from the heat, and stir in mustard, sugar, and lemon zest and juice. Place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor or blender and, with the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is emulsified. Strain and season with salt and pepper.

Baked Penne with Basil, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Chicken

Thursday November 10th 2011

It’s officially chilly in Dallas. In the mornings anyway, by afternoon we hit summertime temps, but I’m focusing on the little bout of cold I brave during my AM runs. And since it’s actually cold during one small day-part, it’s time to bake up some pastas.

This pasta comes straight from my dear friend Martha Stewart. We’re pretty much besties if you count how much time we spend together via TV and Internet. She never fails when it comes to creamy, bubbly, straight out of the oven pasta indulgences. Her mac and cheese recipe is one of my favorites and an absolute crowd pleaser.

In retrospect, I should have halved this recipe. I was only feeding two people, not ten. This recipe makes a lot of pasta. But, if you’re a trooper like me, you’ll persevere through adversity and finish off the pasta over a week.

Penne with Basil, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Chicken (adapted from Miss Martha)

Martha swears this serves four people, but I’m thinking more like six.

6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound penne rigate
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (you could also just use store-bought rotisserie chicken)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 cups whole milk
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces)
1 cup finely grated Parmesan (4 ounces)
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta, and return to pot.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer, whisking frequently. Add basil and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Off heat, gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes; sprinkle each with cup Parmesan. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Pink Shower & Rice Krispies Treats

Wednesday October 26th 2011

Over the weekend, I helped throw a pink-themed baby shower for my dear friend Casey. We’re all really excited for her first little girl, so weren’t scared to go a little pink-crazy.

Must-haves for your all pink baby shower:

Pink candy bar with pink favor bags
Pink dessert bar (pink frosted sugar cookies, strawberry cupcakes, pink frosted rice krispies treats)
Pink champagne (Gruet Rose is one of my faves)
Pink raspberry lemonade with fresca and fresh berries
Pink baby clothes on clothesline for decoration
Assortment of pink flowers

And since I posted a healthy recipe earlier this week, I think it’s time for another dessert recipe. I know you think you know rice krispy treats, but you don’t really know what you’re missing until you’ve tried these. They’re hands down the best rice krispy treats I’ve ever eaten. And this is a subject I take extremely seriously.

Salted brown butter rice krispies treats (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Makes 16 2-inch squares or 32 1- x 2-inch small bars

4 ounces (1/4 pound or 1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1.5 10-ounce bag marshmallows (I use one whole bag, plus half of the second bag)
Heaping 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
8 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 9×13 inch pan (or similar size pan).

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.

As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.

Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. I liked to use a piece of waxed or parchment paper that I’ve sprayed with oil to press it firmly and evenly into the edges and corners, though a silicon spatula works almost as well.

Let cool, and then indulge!!

Roast Rack of Lamb With a Rosemary-Parmesan Crust

Wednesday September 14th 2011

So it’s technically fall, right? Or do I have to wait for the equinox?

Either way, I’m ready for fall foods, and lamb just happens to be one of them. I’m not sure when I went from a lamb hater to a lamb lover, but the transitioned happened gradually within the past five years. Same thing with beets. And stinky cheeses.

When I usually make a rack of lamb, I resort to this rosemary butter recipe from Food & Wine, but this weekend I fell upon this recipe from from New York Magazine, and I decided to give it a whirl.

It requires a bit more time & ingredients, but I was generally happy with the results. I say generally as I had a tough time keeping some of the bread crumbs adhered to the lamb once I started cutting it. But the flavor was really, really solid.

The recipe below calls for a three racks of lamb (8 ribs in each rack), but you can purchase a half rack or 5 ribs as I did from the butcher when you’re not feeding a huge crowd.

And don’t be intimidated by the rack. It’s really a simple weeknight meal that looks uber fancy.

Roast Rack of Lamb With a Rosemary-Parmesan Crust
(from Chef Laurent Tourondel of BLT Steak)

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup bread crumbs, preferably panko
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 8-rib racks of lamb,
trimmed
4 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sprigs thyme

Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a small bowl, stir together butter, bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, onion, and rosemary, until they come together to form a ball. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Brush the racks of lamb with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Set a sauté pan over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, and thyme. Sear the lamb, one rack at a time, for 1 minute per side or until golden brown, and transfer to a baking sheet. Roast the racks for 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue cooking until the lamb’s internal temperature reaches 130 degrees (medium-rare; start check-ing after 5 minutes at 350 degrees).

Preheat broiler.

Transfer the racks of lamb to a work surface, and allow to rest for 5 minutes before coating the meat with the breadcrumb mixture. Broil the racks for a few minutes, watching carefully, until the crust turns golden brown.

Chai Gingerbread Bars

Thursday September 1st 2011

I have a slight obsession with chai tea lattes. They’re the perfect cold weather comfort drink, and they remind me of blistery winter days in New York. If I was having a rough morning, or extra cold, I’d pick one up for myself as a treat on my 20 degree weather walk into work.

Dallas doesn’t have as many of these cold, frigid days, but I allow myself to embrace a chai tea latte on any day that’s below 70 degrees. Because I’m pretty much always cold anyway.

So I was obviously intrigued when I saw these chai gingerbread bars on Tasty Kitchen. They definitely feel more like a fall/winter weather treat, but I’m not scared to enjoy something out of season. They’re perfectly delectable on their own, but they would also be great served warm with cinnamon ice cream or fresh whipped cream on top.

Chai Gingerbread Bars

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Allspice
1 teaspoon Chai Tea Leaves (from one chai tea bag – I used this kind)
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
1 cup Butter, Softened
1 cup Dark Brown Sugar
½ cups Turbinado (raw sugar – white sugar can be substituted)
2 whole Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Fresh Grated Ginger

Preheat oven 350F. Spray a 9×13 baking pan.

In a bowl, put flour, all the spices, chai tea and baking soda. Mix together.

In your mixer, beat the butter with the sugars until soft. One at a time, add the eggs. Beat until they are combined. Mix in the vanilla and grated ginger. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture. Blend until the flour is blended in.

Scoop the batter into the pan. Spread it around evenly over the bottom of the pan. With a greased spatula (sprayed with a bit of cooking spray, because the batter is pretty sticky!), smooth out the batter. Sprinkle the top with white sugar (totally optional). It doesn’t look like a lot of batter, but it works.

Bake for about 25 minutes. When you poke it with a toothpick, it should come out clean with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before cutting.

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