Whenever you bake a bar-type cookie, line the baking pan with foil, leaving enough of an over-lap to be able to lift the entire baked good out of the pan before cutting. For the most uniform cuts, break down the brownies by cutting the entire pan in half, then each half in half, then in half again – and keep going until you get the size brownie you want.

I make extra pans of brownies and freeze them, well wrapped in foil, uncut and unfrosted. I like to frost them still frozen. Flip the brownie over and frost the smooth bottom side with an offset spatula. Cut them semi-frozen, too. It creates a nice clean cut. (Wipe your knife blade on a damp paper towel in between cuts to keep things tidy)

I like to cut them into rectangles and then flatten mini cupcake papers and put a brownie in each one for a pretty, bakery-style look.

Best-ever Brownie
Makes one 9×13-inch pan

Cooking spray
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 cup flour
Dash of salt (mixed with flour)

Preheat oven to 350o F . Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with foil; spray foil with non-stick spray.

Place chocolate and butter a large microwave safe bowl; heat 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in sugar. Stir in vanilla extract, then eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Mix in flour, a little at a time, stirring until uniform. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudge-y crumbs. Cool completely. Invert pan and remove foil. When completely cool, frost with ganache and cut into rectangles.

Chocolate Ganache
(Note: Ganache can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Let stand at room temperature 2 to 3 hours to soften to a spread-able consistency)

1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Pour cream into a microwave safe container; heat on full power 1 ½- 2 minutes or until very hot.

Place chocolate in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Finely chop chocolate.

With motor running, pour hot cream through the feed tube and process just until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Let stand at room temperature until a thick but spread-able consistency is reached, or refrigerate until ready to use.

I’m sharing all kinds of safety tips and recipe ideas on radio stations aross the country today. Try this recipe for Glazed Beef Kabobs from Certified Angus Beef and visit UsePropane.com for lots of ideas to bring the family together for meal prep. Need a new grill? Now through December is  the time to get the best deals on gas grills!

Appetizer: Three way composed tomato appetizer
Soup: Sweet Potato & Apple Soup (vegetarian)
Salad: Indian Spiced Bean and Vegetable Salad
Entree: Buffalo Shortribs with Indian Summer Cous Cous
Dessert: Blackberry Gelato, Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with fresh Raspberry Jam and Lavender Gelee, White Chocolate Lavender Macaroons

Vegetarian Appetizer: Parsnip and leek fritter with petite (fingers crossed) herb salad and fresh corn
cream
Vegetarian Entree: Roasted and grilled harvest vegetables on golden cauliflower puree with caper
brown butter and Capriole goat cheese

Yum! So good! For Chef Michael Ollier’s recipe, click here.

Dinner tonight was a simple Cashew Chicken Stir Fry paired with Black Swan Chardonnay. We really liked the peach, citrus and melon flavors of the wine with the slightly spicy chicken and vegetables. It also paired well with our crab rangoon. At about $8 a bottle, Black Swan 2009 South Eastern Australia Chardonnay is our “house” chardonnay of the moment!

Serves 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Oil as needed
6 green onions, chopped, some reserved for garnish
1 small onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 small carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally
1 cup mushrooms , sliced
1 cup fresh or frozen snow peas
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1/3 cup cashews
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Hot cooked rice as an accompaniment

In a small bowl combine the broth, cornstarch, oyster sauce, honey, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar; set aside.
Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium-high heat.
Add most of the green onions, reserving some for garnish, and the onion wedges; stir-fry 1 minute.
Add bell pepper and carrot; stir-fry 2 minutes.
Add mushrooms and snowpeas; stir-fry 2 minutes.
Remove vegetable mixture from pan. Keep warm. A
dd 1 tablespoon oil to the wok; add chicken; stir-fry 5 minutes.
Add broth mixture, vegetable mixture, cashews, and crushed red pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick.
Serve over rice; garnish with remaining green onions.

Listen to the interview.

Deanna Davis, PhD, is a popular speaker, entertainer and workshop leader and the author of The Law of Attraction in Action and Living With Intention. Davis’s annual retreat, Womanhood Weekend, and her evening comedy events, Womanhood: The Divine Comedy, have inspired change in the lives of women all over the country. She lives in Spokane, Washington with her husband and their two young children. Visit her website at www.deannadavis.net.

Deanna latest book is “Laugh, Cry, Eat Some Pie”. It has a simple yet profound message: Happiness isn’t determined by what you have, where you are, or what happens to you. Instead, it comes from practicing happiness daily, regardless of what’s going on around you.

I keep thinking about Deanna’s message that life, just like pie, is made of of ingredients, some of which are unpalatable  unless they’re thoughtfully combined with other ingredients and a little bit of heat.  How true!  I would never eat a spoonful of raw flour,  but I would really miss it as part of the pie crust! (Try to remember that little gem the next time some “unpalatable” element of life rolls around, because we all know it will)  That’s the power of the positive psychology Deanna discusses in her book.

Deanna and I talked about living a momentous life -literally  living your life a moment at a time. She pointed out that “momentous” doesn’t always have to mean “the big times”  but instead we can focus on the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life.  That’s what “Laugh, Cry, Eat Some Pie” will lead you to, celebrating mindful living, the power of friendships, and the undeniable benefits of a good laugh (and, every now and then, a good cry).

Here’s Deanna’s recipe for Mud Pie.

Mud Pie
½ cup peanut butter
1 prepared chocolate cookie crumb or graham-cracker crust (purchased)
1 pint chocolate ice cream, softened
2/3 cup chopped Nutter Butter cookies
1 pint cookies and cream ice cream, softened
2 full Twix bars (4 sticks), chopped
1 pint coffee ice cream, softened
Chocolate sauce or hot fudge sauce (optional)
Caramel sauce (optional)
Whipped cream (optional)
Toasted almonds (optional)
Spread the peanut butter in the bottom of the prepared crust. Cover with the softened chocolate ice cream and top with Nutter Butter cookies.
In a mixing bowl that is the same diameter (or slightly smaller) as the pie crust (typically roughly 8–9 inches, depending on crust size), place the softened cookies and cream ice cream in the bottom of the bowl and even out the top. Sprinkle with chopped Twix bars.
Place both the pie plate and the bowl in the freezer for 1 hour, then take the bowl out and top with softened coffee ice cream. Return to the freezer for 1 hour.
Remove both the pie plate and the bowl from the freezer. Spread the chocolate sauce topping over the frozen Nutter Butter cookies. Float the bowl of ice cream in warm water for 1–2 minutes to loosen the ice cream, then invert it over the pie plate (on top of the hot fudge) so that the ice cream becomes the top layer (it will be a big “mound” on top of
the pie).
Garnish with chocolate sauce or hot fudge, caramel sauce, toasted almonds, and whipped cream as desired.
Enjoy a heavy sigh and a slice of mud pie any time you need to remind yourself that it’s the process and the product, not perfection, that we’re after in this life!

Listen to the interview.

Are you  curious about plastic surgery? If you’re like me you wonder, “how would I look with a little nip here, a tuck there- a bit of botox here?” The world of plastic surgery is changing and the options available to us are amazing- many of which are non-invasive and actually affordable. Dr Jon Mendelsohn, a double board certified facial plastic surgeon specializing in both surgical and non-surgical procedures, joined me today to talk about the basics of these procedures.

Dr. Mendelsohn specializes in advanced surgical rejuvenation and sculpting techniques for the face, neck, eyes, nose, lips, ears, chin, and forehead and he’s written 4  books  on the topics. He  lectures nationally, and has published articles in numerous medical books and journals and is in demand as a speaker to  medical personnel,  the general public, and local community organizations.

Dr. Mendelsohn also specializes in using non-surgical options, includingBotoxTM Cosmetic.  He  trains physicians from North America in the art of safely and effectively administering BotoxTM. He also treats patients with injectable fillers  to plump and fill individual lines in the face, augment the lips, and replace fullness under the eyes and throughout the face.  Dr. Mendelsohn has a special interest in laser treatments, and uses them extensively to resurface the skin, treat individual areas of concern such as veins and brown spots, as well as to remove unwanted hair.

To learn more, visit 351FACE.com

]]> http://amystable.com/2010/08/29/on-the-radio-dr-jon-mendelsohn/feed/ 0 http://amystable.com/2010/08/29/featured-ingredients-for-back-to-schooloats/ http://amystable.com/2010/08/29/featured-ingredients-for-back-to-schooloats/#comments Sun, 29 Aug 2010 13:30:23 +0000 Amy http://amystable.com/?p=21943

Listen to Amy\’s tips.

Inexpensive, convenient and nutritious, oats are everywhere! You can find them in many forms:

Old-fashioned oats: they’ve been steamed and rolled
Quick-cooking oats: like old-fashioned oats, but finely cut before rolling
Steel-cut oats: these oats are run through steel blades that slice them
Instant oatmeal: these oats are partially cooked and then thinly rolled- be aware that sugar and salt are often added
Oat bran: the outer layer of the grain
Oat flour: used in baking
Oat groats: un-flattened kernels

What can oats do for you and your family? Eating just 3 grams of soluble oat fiber each day (the amount found in a bowl of oatmeal) will:
1. Lower cholesterol levels
2. Reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke
3. Reduce the risk of diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar
4. Reduce the risk of certain cancers

Need inspiration for your morning oatmeal? Here some simple serving ideas:
1. Add fruit, nuts and spices to a bowl of hot oatmeal
2. Make a healthy oatmeal breakfast cookie with nuts, raisins and whole wheat flour
3. Add oat bran to your favorite muffin recipe
4. Sprinkle oat bran over your favorite cereal or yogurt
5. Try my Homemade Fruit and Nut Granola, Granola Parfaits, Energy Bars or Trail Mix for quick, easy and totally portable back to school breakfast you can feel good about.

Fruit and Nut Granola
Makes 10 cups

This one is from my book, Amy’s Table: Food for Family and Friends. The recipe changes according to what I have in my cupboard and I constantly change up the nuts, fruits and spices.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Make ahead: Keeps for a couple weeks in a large airtight canister.
Tip: I like to serve this with vanilla soymilk. Make a granola parfait by layering granola, yogurt and chopped fresh fruit in a parfait or wine glass.

6 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant)
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 cups nuts (sliced almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans pieces)
¼ cup flax seed or wheat germ
½ cup canola oil
½ cup honey
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups dried fruit (chopped dates, raisins, golden raisins, cherries or cranberries)

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, shredded coconut, nuts and flax seed. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, brown sugar, almond and vanilla extracts, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Toss with the oat mixture; mix thoroughly. Divide mixture between 2 large rimmed baking sheets; spread in an even layer. Bake, stirring and tossing every 5 minutes, for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Transfer to a large mixing bowl; stir in the dried fruits. Store in an airtight container.

To Serve: Serve with milk, soymilk or yogurt and a sprinkling of brown sugar if desired.

Homemade Brown Sugar
Makes 4 cups
This is unbelievably better. Try it and see!

4 cups granulated sugar
½ cup molasses

Place sugar in a food processor or blender. Add molasses. Pulse to combine. Store in an airtight container.

Granola Parfait
Makes 1 parfait

1/4 cup granola
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Place the granola in the bottom of a parfait glass or dish. Spoon the yogurt on top. Drizzle with the maple syrup.

Homemade Trail Mix
Great in the backpack, at the soccer game and a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen

Add your favorite combination of any of the following:

1 cup raisins or yogurt covered raisins
1 cup dried cranberries or dried blueberries,
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 cup dried pineapple, dried apricots or dried apples
1 cup nuts peanuts, cashews, almonds or walnuts
1 cup sunflowers seeds or pumpkin seeds
1 cup dark chocolate chips, M&M’s, milk chocolate chips. peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips
1 cup granola, Kashi Go-Lean , Cheerios or Chex
1 cup pretzels
1 cup toasted coconut or mini marshmallows

Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Homemade Energy Bars
These are great for breakfast on the run or an after school snack!
Makes 24 bars
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Make ahead: Well wrapped, the bars keep for a week and freeze for 2 months.
Tip: Taste best made a day or two in advance. For a uniform look and size, cut the entire bar in half width wise. Cut each half into 3 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle into 4 equal pieces.

Cooking spray
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup quick cooking or old fashioned oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup wheat germ (or wheat bran)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup raw, unsalted almonds
1 cup raisins (or your favorite dried fruit)
1/2 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup powdered nonfat dry milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line with 2 strips of parchment paper, one lengthwise and one crosswise (these will act as handles to lift the finished bars from the pan) Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs with the syrup and vanilla extract; set aside.
Place all the remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until mixture is finely chopped. Add egg mixture; pulse until well combined and resembles a coarse paste. Add chocolate chips; pulse just to incorporate.
Transfer to the prepared baking pan and spread evenly, using waxed paper if needed. Bake 20 minutes or just until edges are golden brown. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Using the parchment paper, lift the bar onto a cutting board and cut into 24 squares. Cool completely before wrapping each bar in plastic wrap.

Listen to the interview.

Gabrielle Gayagoy joined me today to share tips from VIVMag about how to make the most of your spa visit.   Take a peek at the July/August issue and test  your spa savvy!

SPA TIPS FROM VIVMAG

1. Plan ahead. What’s your intention for your spa visit? Is it to relax? Is it to bond with girlfriends? Think about what you want going in so you have a better idea of what to ask before your visit. For example, if you’re planning a bridal toast for your friend, you’ll want to make sure the spa allows alcohol on premises.

2. Know where to look for deals. These days, many spas advertise last-minute discounts on their Facebook and Twitter pages, so be sure to check online before you go. Websites such as spafinder.com and spaweek.com also feature spa deals around the country. Both sites have promotions running in September; click on the links for details.

3. Speak up. Your esthetician or massage therapist wants you to have the best experience possible, so don’t be shy about voicing your preferences. Everything from music choices to room temperature to how light or heavy the massage is can be adjusted to suit you.

4. Take your time. An extra 10 minutes of relaxing in the sauna, steam room or Jacuzzi can make you feel like you’ve gotten two massages for the price of one. Most spas offer special rooms where you can rest with a cup of tea or read magazines, so allow yourself extra time to take advantage!

For more travel ideas, check out VIVmag’s September/October issue, available Sept. 1. Click on www.VIVmag.com for details.