Category Archives: Food
Bake a Big Batch of Brownies
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
I know there are some who really don’t like brownies, and I understand and don’t judge. We all have a different set of taste buds and can’t
control our genetic makeup.
But for those of you who do like chocolate — and I am among those — you may like some of these variations on the classic brownie recipe.
None of these recipes are rocket science, fortunately, but I — and my taste buds — think they’re good. We all hope your taste buds agree.
Enjoy them as a treat or an everyday snack.
Supper salads lighten evening meals
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
Have you grown tired of the same old same old? Have you run out of fresh ideas for what to feed them? You’re not the only one.
This week, I thought it would be nice to change pace and get out of the rut of chicken, beef, pork or seafood. And we can’t have soup and grilled cheese sandwiches too often. So, it’s going to be a salad week.
I first came across watermelon salad a couple of years ago and found out it’s delicious. Almost everybody likes pasta salad, and here’s one with a non-traditional dressing.
I like the flavor profiles of the pear with candied nut salad, as well as the easy Greek salad.
Feel free to add meat to the Greek and pasta salads. They’re good either way.
Add something light to your Easter
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
We all tend to overdo it a little bit when preparing holiday meals, and Easter is no exception.
I think it’s important to stick a few lighter dishes into the mix so no one has to go too far into the macaroni and cheese.
These fruit salads should be just what the doctor ordered. I’m not saying everything here is low in calories. After all, marshmallow crème is not exactly diet food. But I can say that these are delicious.
Happy Easter, everyone.
From Wood to Table
With the local turkey season nearly upon us, many families will soon have the opportunity to put fresh wild turkey on their plates.
Although many people freeze the meat of their wild game for eating later, some prefer to cook and eat the meat as quickly as they can.
With that in mind , listed on this page are three delicious recipes featuring that most scrumptious of fowl.
Irish dishes make the day
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
St Patrick’s Day is here, and on this day we celebrate all that is Irish, whether or not that’s part of our ancestry.
This year I wanted to focus on something other than corned beef and cabbage, although that’s an authentic main dish for an all-Irish celebration, because there are lots of other foods the Irish embrace.
So let’s embrace our Irish links, whether real or imaginary, and honor that island by preparing some of these classic dishes.
A salute to Asian Cuisine
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
Everybody has a favorite kind of food.
If you’ve never tried the great variety of Asian dishes now easily available, I encourage you to do so.
Whether it’s Thai, Korean, Japanese or Chinese, there’s something special about each of these.
If you make them yourself, you can be sure they’re free of preservatives and additives that aren’t particularly good for you.
So maybe it’s time to get out of your comfort zone and try one of the offerings this week. I hope you enjoy one or all
.
Perfectly delicious traditional pound cakes
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier. com
The reason I prefer traditional pound cake recipes is for the flavor, the richness, the moisture and the texture. And there is no substitute for real butter if you want to make a really good one.
If anyone can find a better chocolate pound cake recipe than my friend Jane’s, then send me a copy. It’s the very best.
My grandmama’s old fashioned pound cake recipe calls for a dozen eggs, real butter and a pound of
everything. There’s no substitute for anything, and it can easily feed 25 people.
And the lemon pound cake recipe is not run of the mill.
It’s near the top on the all-time favorites list.
If you’re cutting out sweets, don’t start until after you bake one of these cakes. You will not regret it.
Picking the chili of your choice
By Olivia Fowler
For the Courier
ofowler@thepccourier.com
When the icy breath of winter comes our way, we want to eat something that will warm us up. And 
nothing does this better than chili. It’s filling, nutritious and is warm in temperature and seasonings.
If hot and spicy isn’t your favorite, reduce the number of chopped hot pepppers. Or you can even eliminate them if you like, or replace them with mild peppers.
Celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of February, this year’s National Chili Day is scheduled for Feb. 25. Give all these recipes a shot so you’re ready to mark the occasion with a bowl of your favorite.
To each his own. Enjoy.
Mix decadence and refreshment this Valentine’s Day
Chocolate is often described as “decadent,” and rightfully so. Few foods can make people feel as if 
they’re being indulgent as well as chocolate. Perhaps that’s what makes chocolate such a great fit for Valentine’s Day. When giving that special someone some chocolate on February 14, you’re not just giving them something delicious, but also a chance to indulge in a forbidden fruit.
But chocolate desserts can be more than merely decadent. In fact, this recipe for “Pasticcio di Cioccolato con Lampone (Individual Chocolate Cakes With Fresh Raspberries)” from Michael White and Joanna Pruess’ “Fiamma: The Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking” (Wiley) is both decadent and, thanks to the fresh raspberries, refreshing. The individual cake is an ideal Valentine’s Day gift, as it serves to emphasize how that special someone is the only one for you.
Pasticcino di Cioccolato con Lampone
(Individual chocolate cakes
with fresh raspberries)
— Makes 8 servings
1 1/3 c. cake flour, sifted
1/3 c. plus 2 tbsp. cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 tsp. baking soda
6 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 large eggs
1 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 pint fresh raspberries
Vegetable cooking spray
Pinch of sea salt
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Spray a standard muffin tin with nonstick spray or fill 8 of the cups with paper or foil liners.
Sift the flour, 1/3 cup of cocoa, salt, and baking soda into a bowl and set aside. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside.
Combine the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Set the bowl over a pan partially filled with simmering water. The water should not touch the bowl. Using a whisk, beat the egg-sugar mixture until it feels very warm to the touch and all of the sugar has dissolved. Immediately remove the bowl from the heat and transfer it to the electic mixer.
Whip the egg-sugar mixture on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until it triples in volume and is very thick and light colored. Add the vanilla and whip 2 to 3 seconds longer to blend. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the flour-cocoa mixture.
Place about 11/2 cups of the batter in a separate bowl and fold in the melted butter. Do this gently, as you do not want to overwork the batter. Fold this into the remaining batter. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center of one cupcake comes out clean. Remove and cool completely on a rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling, combine the heavy cream with the confectioners’ sugar and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cocoa, beat into soft peaks, and set aside.
Remove the cupcakes from the tin and place them on dessert plates. Spoon the whipped cream on top, divide the raspberries among the plates and serve.
