For me Claudia’s Chocolate Mousse is the mousse by which all others are judged. It is however, not a health food. Jan usually makes it only once a year on my birthday. Jan spent years perfecting the techniques of making mousse, but she has not dared to tinker with mom’s recipe. For this year’s birthday dinner, she made some variations to make it her own. I may just have a new favorite.
Jan’s Chocolate Mousse
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Treats
Adapted from SJ Mercury News – originally from Emily and Melissa Elsen, “The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book”
Jan usually makes the desserts at our Sunday meals. Sometimes these desserts are within the theme of the meal. Other times they are just whatever strikes her fancy on the day. Either way, she will find a recipe that is close to what she wants and then she will adapt it “on the fly.”
Jan’s Brown Butter Pumpkin Pie
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Pies & Tarts
I saw some pears in the market today. Although I usually do not make desserts, I thought about my mother, Claudia, and her baked apple crumbles. She would slice apples and spread a oatmeal mixture on top and then bake it to sweet, gooey/crunchy delight. I decided to adapt her recipe to pears.
Karl’s Baked Pear Crumble
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Treats
This is one of those more of a technique than a recipe. We have friends coming over for a last minute BBQ. Jan decided to make this as a Fourth of July dessert.
Jan’ Red, White, and Blueberries
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Treats
Adapted from Obsidian Stout Brownies
Backstory: Charles Worstell, who recently passed away, loved to hold court in his local cafe. When I knew him in the 1970’s it was at the Cafe Midi. More recently it was at the Revue in the Tower District in Fresno. He would frequently bring brownies, since he loved to drink beer and eat brownies. This recipe was adapted to honor him.
Jan’s Stalwart Brownies
for Charlie the Barbarian
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Treats
Adapted from a recipe by Robyn Stone
Eilene had a few friends over to celebrate graduating from high school. Jan decided to make cupcakes to celebrate. Jan thinks the coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate, so she will frequently add some to her chocolate cakes. It was a very hot day so the buttercream frosting suffered a bit.
Jan’s Celebratory Mocha Cupcakes
with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Filed under Cake, Desserts & Treats
[Back hand, stage whisper] “The secret is the chocolate is on the inside!”
The [trademarked chocolate and peanut butter confection] Challenge. This entire meal resulted from Myr having made peanut butter cookies from an Alton Brown recipe. Myr followed the recipe fairly closely, except that she did not have chunky peanut butter. She made do with smooth PB and added fresh chopped peanuts. Even after she had made dozens of large cookies, she still had a quarter of the cookie dough left over. When she told her mother about this, Jan said, “That would make a good pie crust and we could fill it with Claudia’s Chocolate Mousse. I also just bought a bottle of “Voodoo,” a chocolate and peanut stout. Karl, make a dinner with chocolate and peanuts!”
The Inverted Peanut Butter Cup of the Lueck Ladies
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Pies & Tarts
Adapted from a recipe by the National Honey Board
Jan was disappointed to find that the Ethiopian idea of dessert was sour cheese or just coffee. (Actually, after all of that good food who has room for “just one little thin mint?”) She decided to make an Ethiopian inspired desert by adding honey and spices to caramel and using it to make a gelato sundae.
Jan’s Sweet Ethiopia Honey Caramel Sauce Sundaes
Filed under Desserts & Treats, Sauces and Spices, Treats
karllueck
Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 