Daily Archives: February 14, 2012
Chicken in a cream of onion gravy
I’ve had a can of cream of onion soup in the cupboard for a long time and decided to move it out today. I bought it for a project that I went a different way on and it became surplus. I was pretty sure I could jazz it up some by sauteing some fresh onions so that’s the way it went tonight. First I browned some chicken parts in olive oil, these were boneless, skinless thighs:
I set those aside and browned a couple of small to medium onions in the same pan along with some minced garlic.
When the onions had browned a little I poured in a can’s worth of heavy cream, and then the condensed soup.
And then returned the chicken to the pan and covered it as it simmered and the veggies in the oven roasted.
We are becoming quite fond of roasted parsnips. Also tonight there were white potatoes, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. These were tossed with olive oil and seasoned with garlic powder and salt and pepper. I didn’t time them but about 45 minutes at 375 will do it. They made a pretty platter with the chicken and onion gravy.
Texas Sheet Cake
Happy Valentine’s Day. I had a lot of people to feed today, so it seemed like a good day to make a Texas Sheet Cake. I’ve been wanting to for a while. I actually made it last night, rumor has it, it tastes even better the next day.
The recipe comes from America’s Test Kitchen. I didn’t change much, except I seem to have forgotten the cream in the icing. I don’t think it made much of a difference. It’s a very rich cake, so I don’t think anyone is going to miss the cream.
What makes this cake fun is that you bake it in a baking sheet and then pour the frosting on while everything is still hot. It creates a thin cake with a gooey center. It says it serves 24, my guess it’s more like 32, it’s very rich.
Texas Sheet Cake
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs plus 2 yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 8 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
Chocolate Icing
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup toasted pecans , chopped
For the cake:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 18- by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Whisk eggs and yolks, vanilla, and sour cream in another bowl until smooth.
Heat chocolate, butter, oil, water, and cocoa in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture into flour mixture until incorporated. Whisk egg mixture into batter, then pour into prepared baking pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack.
For the icing: About 5 minutes before cake is done, heat butter, cream, cocoa, and corn syrup in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Off heat, whisk in confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Spread warm icing evenly over hot cake and sprinkle with pecans. Let cake cool to room temperature on wire rack, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until icing is set, about 1 hour longer. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Cut into 3-inch squares. Serve.
UPDATE: This was a nightmare to cut. So very gooey in the middle that most of those pieces look anything but square. 
TaMara
jeffreyww
LFern7
indylib
