Braised Kale

I know, I know. Another kale recipe. Hey, don't you roll your eyes at me. Even I like this one.

Sorry about these pictures. My kitchen lighting at night leaves something to be desired. Like natural light.

"Braising" might sound kind of fancy or complicated, but the premise is really simple. Heat up some oil (reserved bacon grease would be awesome for this). Saute some onions and garlic. Have some shallots? Even better. Add the kale, or really, any dark, leafy green. I even found mine in the bagged salad section, all clean and ready to cook!

Add the braising liquid- chicken stock, veggie stock, even water. Cover it and let it steam. Add an acid. I like vinegar but work with what ya got: white wine, lemon juice, whatevs. Add a little more, add a little less, it's totally up to you. Add some heat. Mix it up and you're done!

Do you think a serving of this cancels out those two brownies I ate when no one was looking? What about the one I'm going to eat later. Maybe I should go snack on these leftovers, just in case. 

Braised Kale
Serves 4 

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1 tsp fresh garlic, finely minced
3/4 cup yellow onion, small diced
16 oz kale leaves, cleaned, stems removed, and roughly chopped
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp, plus 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Place a large, deep saute pan over medium high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add onion. Saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add chopped garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Lower heat to medium. Add as much of the kale leaves to the pan as will fit. Don't worry, they'll cook down! Carefully stir them around so they cook evenly. As the leaves wilt, add more fresh kale to the pan, continuing to stir, until all kale has been added. If the pan seems dry at any point, add a little extra olive oil to prevent the onion and garlic from burning.
3. Add the chicken broth and stir to incorporate. Cover the pan and let steam for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When kale leaves taste tender, add the vinegar and spices. Serve warm.

Salted Caramel Brownies

I'm not really sure what to say about these brownies. There's caramel. And chocolate. And salt. It is a near perfect combination.

Salted caramel brownies have been on my list to bake, but when I decided they were next for the oven, I also found that I needed to use a different brownie recipe than my go to. I wanted there to be plenty of salty caramel goodness so I needed a brownie recipe that was baked in a deep square or rectangular dish instead of a flat sheet pan. Luckily the "Baked" Brownie from Brooklyn's bakeshop of the same name was also on my baking list and fit the bill. (Bonus: it's a recipe that's best made by hand so no mixer required!)

The Baked Brownie did not disappoint. It's rich, fudgy, and has that hint of espresso that I think is essential to a good chocolate brownie. There's the right ratio of chocolate to butter and the lack of chemical leavening makes for a really dense texture.

If you're into cakey brownies, these will not be your favorite. Also, I'm totally judging you.

Even though there's a fair bit of salt in this caramel sauce, it wasn't quite enough for my palate. I continued to add sea salt to the top of the brownies once they came out of the oven. And every time I slice a square to eat it. I can't help it. I'm addicted, and my drug of choice is Maldon Sea Salt. Seriously, think about it. Try one as it is, and then (since you're totally going in for seconds) add an extra little pinch of sea salt, just for me.

ALSO, take note! This recipe for caramel sauce makes more than you will need! Don't be shy with it, but you do want your brownies to actually bake, so hold back at least 1/2 cup. Save it. Pour it over ice cream. Dunk apple slices in it. Send me a thank you note.

Salted Caramel Brownies

Ingredients:

For Brownies:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp dark unsweetened cocoa powder
4 oz 70% extra bittersweet chocolate, chopped or broken into pieces
7 oz 60% bittersweet chocolate, chopped or broken into pieces
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
Sea Salt

For salted caramel sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tsp flaked sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13'' baking dish. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Start the brownie batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. Set a large bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add chocolate, butter, and espresso powder. Stir occasionally until the mixture has melted. Turn off the heat under your pot and add both sugars the the chocolate butter mixture. Whisk to incorporate. Remove the bowl from the pot and set aside to come to room temperature.
4. Make the caramel sauce. Place a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle enough sugar in the pot to coat the bottom. Watch carefully and wait for the sugar to begin to melt. Do not stir, but shake the pot around if necessary so the sugar coats the bottom of the pot evenly. When the first layer of sugar has melted, add another layer of sugar. Continue to shake the pot occasionally to spread the sugar evenly. Once the second addition of sugar has melted, add a little more. Begin to incorporate this sugar with a wooden spoon. Once melted, add more sugar and continue this process until all the sugar has been added. Lower heat as needed so your sugar doesn't color too quickly or burn. Cook the sugar to an amber caramel color and remove the pot from the heat.
5. One by one, add the pieces of butter, whisking to incorporate each one before adding the next. Slowly pour in the cream, whisking to incorporate. Be careful as this will cause the caramel to bubble up. Set caramel aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. Add salt and let cool another 5-10 minutes.
6. Now, finish the brownie batter. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk to incorporate. Add the remaining 2 eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate, but be careful not to overmix.
7. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate and, using a rubber spatula, fold until just incorporated.
8. Pour half the brownie batter in the bottom of the pan. Drizzle some of the caramel sauce over this layer. Add the remaining brownie batter, using a rubber spatula to spread it into the corners. Drizzle more of the caramel sauce over top. Drag a butter knife through the batter to marble the caramel, but be careful not to mix the brownies too much or the caramel will become too incorporated. Sprinkle more sea salt over top of the brownies.
9. Bake brownies 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. If the caramel is making it too difficult to determine the doneness of the brownies, test one of the edges or corners. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. Top with additional sea salt if desired.


Recipes adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Hurricane Chili

What happens when all the meat you have in your freezer defrosts at the same time? Chili happens. Hurricane Chili.

Ok, so I didn't use all the meat. There was a package of chicken tenderloins in there too that went to live at Dan's parents' house since we still have zero cooking power. Hey, just be thankful I didn't suggest poaching and shredding it to add to the pot too because that would be more than four pounds of meat in one pot of chili. Unnecessary.

Steamy

How, you may ask, did I manage to cook this chili without a working stove? I kitchen crashed Dan's mom. Don't worry, she'll be getting paid back in delicious chili. Her freezer is fully stocked!

Hurricane Chili
Serves 6-8 

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp canola oil
2 lbs. ground beef
1 lb. andouille sausage, casing removed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp, plus 1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with chilies
2 16 oz cans chili beans with sauce
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 28 oz can crushed tomatos
32 oz water (optional)

Directions
1. Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the ground beef and sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring, until the meat has browned and is almost cooked through.
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and set aside. Pour the grease off into a container to dispose of it, but reserve 1/4 cup. Reheat the 1/4 cup of grease over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add all the spices to the pot, stirring to coat the vegetables. Continue to stir the vegetables, allowing the spices to toast until slightly darkened, 1-2 minutes. Add the meat back to the pot and stir to combine.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, chili beans, beef broth, and crushed tomatoes, stirring to incorporate all ingredients. Bring the chili to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer the chili, uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a thicker or thinner chili, either add additional water, or reduce beef broth by 1/2-1 cup. Taste chili occasionally and adjust spices as necessary. Serve hot, garnished with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and green onion. Alternatively, the chili can be portioned out and frozen.

(Update: I just got home and we have power! I got right to cleaning out the fridge and freezer but almost cried when I found the now un-frozen and ruined leftover Macaroni and Cheese. Hold me.)