A little bit of spring

After this spell of zero degree weather, I think everyone is looking toward spring. It’s not even the New Year yet. We still have lots of inclement weather to descend upon us.

For my spring fix I head to my green house. I have a wonderful hoop house covered with 2 layers of plastic. It is 48 feet long by 24 feet wide. There is a fan that keeps the layers inflated like a huge pillow. This forms an insulating layer of air. This is the first year we have tried to raise plants through the winter in the green house.

In September I planted edible podded peas. They grew quite well. The wooden post in the picture is 4 feet high.

For auxiliary heat we have used 4 space heaters. I have no idea if we wasted electric. The only night they did not keep the house above freezing was the two nights where the temps in our valley dipped to -5 degrees (it went to 22 inside the green house). During the day, if the sun is out, even if it is zero outside the green house will get to over 90 degrees. We need to check the house several times a day and provide ventilation. If it is cloudy it will still warm to at least 50 degrees when the out side temps are 15 degrees. Early in the morning we head to the green house to monitor the temps and turn off the heaters.

We found an inexpensive thermometer that registers the high and low temps in a 24 hour period.

Last night for an end of Day feast, we had stir fry loaded with snow peas and some of the last of the Big Daddy peppers from the garden. (I also have chives in the green house that I snipped for the stir fry)

Need some Chocolate Indulgence Today?

Years ago (before Internet) I clipped recipes from magazines, glued and taped them onto notebook paper. With the Internet those notebooks (remember the black bumpy cardboard 3 ring binder notebooks?) have become dust collectors on my book shelves. Every once in a while I refer to them for ideas because the magazine articles were always so beautifully illustrated. The magazines also contained great recipes that were put out by different products. One of these advertisers had gorgeous full page ads featuring recipes using their products. Karo Syrup and Bakers Chocolate collaborated designing mouth watering ads. I wish I could show you the ads. I went to google and did not find the copy of them. But I did find the recipe so I didn't have to retype it. I wish they had had the magazine ad pix so you could see it. It was a gorgeous presentation.

The recipe I am talking about is called, "Double Dark decadent Brownie". The ads had in big flowery script Devine Decadence written across the page.

The recipe has a glaze to go on the brownie. I have only made the glaze once…for me it was way too much…it was gilding the lily. The recipe serves 8…geesh after eating a big meal..I don’t know how you could get an 1/8 of a nine inch brownie down…especially if you had ice cream and caramel sauce too. I have never made it in a square pan before…but I bet the square cut into squares would make a better presentation on the plate.


Double Dark Decadent Brownie
This is a 1987 recipe from General Foods Corporation.

1/2 C. Karo light or dark corn syrup
1/2 C. butter
5 (1 oz.) squares Baker\s Semi-Sweet Chocolate
(I used 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips)
3/4 C. sugar
3 eggs1 tea. vanilla extract
1 C. unsifted flour1 C. chopped walnuts (I used pecans)

Grease and flour 9-in. layer cake pan.

In a large Sauce pan bring corn syrup and butter to a boil, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until melted. Add sugar; stir in eggs, one at a time (I beat the eggs in a cup before adding them), then vanilla extract, flour and nuts. Pour into pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 min. or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 10 min. Remove; cool completely on rack.

Prepare glaze; pour on top and spread on sides. Let stand 1 hour.
Serves 8.

Chocolate Glaze:

In small saucepan melt 3 (1 oz.) squares Baker\s Semi-Sweet Chocolate with 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine over low heat, stirring often. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 Tbsp. Karo Corn Syrup and 1 tea. milk.

I have a quick chocolate fix Brownie that I found in a news paper about 20 years ago. The brownie is very good eaten immediately. But like all things baked in a microwave the quality deteriorates when it sets (becomes stale, quickly, upon cooling. So must be eaten fresh topped with all sorts of great decadent toppings, or indulged in, in front of a good movie with a huge glass of milk with your significant other)

Ten-Minute Microwave Brownies
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup nuts
(I used 1/2 cup chips, no nuts)
Coat 8" square glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In bowl whisk eggs, butter, and vanilla until blended.
Add sugar, cocoa, flour, Blend well
Microwave on high power about 5 minutes until toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes.
Cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temp.

 New Article on my blog: 

 http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-mystery-in-making.html

"A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"

A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind

First Clue to be presented October 16.

 

Other blog sites by me:

 

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.

 

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

blogs about the wildflowers on our farm

Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,

blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures

Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle

New Blog:

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/2013/08/blackberries-kitchen-aid.html

 

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission