Enjoying Innovation
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Homemaking on Tuesday, February 09, 2010 10:25 PM
I made rice crispy treats and minty brownies for the Super Bowl on Sunday, and in the process I got to use one of my favorite kitchen innovations: nonstick aluminum foil.
Are you familiar with this stuff? I grabbed it off the shelf at the grocery store once on a whim, and as soon as I tried it, I was hooked. At the time I was making my family’s favorite lemon bars often, and the filling had an awful tendency to stick to the regular foil I used to line the pan, even when I greased it. The nonstick foil, on the other hand, peeled right off the bars. I’ve found it works just as well on many other things, so I keep it stocked in my kitchen now.
It is a splurge, being noticeably more expensive than regular aluminum foil. Every time I need to buy a new roll, I wonder briefly if it’s worth the cost. But the couple times I’ve failed to keep it around, I’ve missed it. Some people really appreciate having pre-minced garlic or bean-grinding coffee makers in their kitchens. I happen to really appreciate foil that helps my baked goods pop out of the pan with no fuss. It’s definitely worth it for me!
Do you have a time-saving kitchen or household item that’s worth the extra cost for you?
As a bonus: these two recipes taste equally delicious whether or not they’re made using nonstick foil! Lent is right around the corner, so now is a good time to indulge.
Lemon Bars
2 cups flour
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
⅓ cup lemon juice (preferably freshly squeezed)
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
more powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, and grease the foil (unless it’s nonstick).
2. In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups flour and the powdered sugar. With pastry blender, fork, or fingers, cut in butter until you have a crumbly mixture. Press into pan. Bake 15-20 minutes, until golden and beginning to brown around edges.
3. Meanwhile, beat 4 large eggs. (I use the bowl from step 2.) Mix in granulated sugar and lemon juice. Stir in flour, baking powder, and lemon zest. When crust comes out of oven, pour filling over it and return to oven. Bake another 15-20 minutes, until set. (Filling should not jiggle in the middle when you gently shake the pan.)
4. If desired, dust the top with powdered sugar after removing from oven. Let cool before cutting into bars.
Minty Brownies
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
¾ cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup flour
1 bag mint chips (I highly recommend Andes creme de menthe chips, but mint-flavored chocolate chips will do)
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, and grease the foil (unless it’s nonstick).
2. In large microwavable bowl, heat chocolate and butter in microwave until both are melted, about 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to stir. Add sugar and mix until blended. Add eggs and peppermint extract. Gently mix in flour and 1 cup of the mint chips.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Remove brownies from oven, and immediately sprinkle the rest of the mint chips evenly over the top. Let sit for five minutes until the chips melt, then use a spatula and spread them to create a coating over the top of the brownies. Let cool before cutting into bars.
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