RECIPE: SQUASH CROQUETTES

If you have a vegetable garden, chances are you will have a huge crop of yellow squash. Growing up, my mom found creative ways to use it; one of the most popular was squash croquettes. Almost everyone I grew up with remembers ordering squash croquettes at the Pioneer Cafeteria in Roebuck. It was one of the few places we would go out to eat as a family. It was an upscale (meaning there was a waterfall feature in the middle of the room) meat and three steamtable restaurant where you would go down the line with a tray and select a meat and three vegetables. Of course, vegetables could be anything from Jello to mac n cheese… but you could bet that just about every diner would order the squash croquettes if they were available.

Here is the recipe for those famous Pioneer Cafeteria squash croquettes; my mother’s recipe is very similar. I hope you make them, and they become one of your own summer favorites.

PIONEER SQUASH CROQUETTES

NGREDIENTS

2 pounds choice yellow squash (about 6 medium squash)

1 cup yellow onion, minced

1 stick margarine

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

4 eggs, well beaten

2 cups white bread crumbs, plus more for rolling

1 cup cornbread crumbs

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, optional

1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying

DIRECTIONS:

Cut squash into slices about 1/2-inch thick. Add to a pot of water, making sure to just cover the squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then cook until fork tender. Allow to drain thoroughly for 3 hours in the refrigerator. (Note: If you are in a hurry, you can pile the squash onto a large, clean square of cheesecloth and twist to get rid of the excess water.)

Sauté onions in a saucepan with margarine until brown. Cool.

Place drained squash in a large bowl. Add the cooled onions and all the remaining ingredients except the oil and the reserved breadcrumbs, mixing well. 

Shape croquettes using a #12 ice cream scoop. and roll them in the reserved breadcrumbs.

Fry in oil heated to 350° until golden brown. Drain off excess oil on paper towels. 

RECIPE: LUNCHROOM BROWNIES

These brownies remind me of the ones they would serve at my elementary school on Fridays… more like a cake than fudge but still moist. Using a good quality bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder makes them more decadent. If you want to make these more fudgy, reduce the flour to 3/4 cup and omit the baking powder.

LUNCHROOM BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (2 sticks) melted unsalted butter plus more to grease the pan

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Butter an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper also.

Using a large glass heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate together. Remove from the heat. (Be careful not to allow water to find its way into the chocolate because it will seize.)

Mix the sugar into the warm chocolate mixture. Stir so that the sugar dissolves into the chocolate. Add the vanilla.

Using a wire whisk, add the eggs, one at a time, taking care to incorporate well after each addition. Add the cocoa with the last egg.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Using a spatula or large spoon, gently fold the flour into the batter, ½ cup at a time, making sure there are no streaks of flour or flour pockets remaining in the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick. It should come out clean when inserted into the center of the pan. When done, remove the pan to a wire rack to cool. Once completely cool, lift the brownies from the pan using the parchment paper. Slice into squares.

RECIPE: THE BEST EVER CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Nothing says party like cake... and for me, nothing says delicious like a homemade chocolate cake. I've used this recipe for so many years, I cannot remember where I first got it. I know it did not come from my mother because she rarely made cakes and because my father didn't like chocolate, she certainly never made a chocolate cake. I started making this cake when I was in high school for parties I'd have at my house. There may have been a bakery in our neighborhood in those days but I never went to it because we made everything from scratch. There was a time when I made 7-Minute Icing for this chocolate cake but 7-minute icing is finicky and people seem to like the chocolate on chocolate better.

Make sure to use fresh baking powder and baking soda so you get a nice, fluffy cake.

PERFECT CHOCOLATE BIRTHDAY CAKE

INGREDIENTS

2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

1 recipe Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. (You can use Baker's Joy but I prefer the outcome using the grease-flour method)

Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt and add it to the bowl of your mixer. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Remove from the stand. Stir in the boiling water (the batter will be thin). Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Allow to cool completely before icing with the Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe below.

(For a sheet cake, use a 13x9x2 pan and bake for 35-40 minutes)

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CHOCOLATE SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

A Swiss buttercream is made using egg whites and not just butter (or shortening as some old recipes call for) to make it extra fluffy and lighter than a butter only buttercream. I like both but wanted to share this one-- or you can make traditional buttercream using just butter, powdered sugar, and chocolate. The one on the Hershey's Cocoa box is perfect. Can't go wrong with that!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound bittersweet chocolate

12 ounces semisweet chocolate

3/4 cup egg whites (4-5 extra-large eggs), at room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Chop the chocolates and place them in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan simmering water. Stir until melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

Mix the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the bowl of egg whites over the pan of simmering water and heat the egg whites until they are warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Return the bowl to the electric mixer and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak.

Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate, vanilla, and mix for 1 minute or until the chocolate is completely blended in. If the buttercream seems very soft, allow it to cool, and beat it again. If you want to make it extra special or cannot get your icing to look exactly perfect, top with chocolate curls like I did in the photo above. There are easy to make.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CURLS

Melt some chocolate using a double boiler. Remove from the heat. Take a clean baking sheet and spread a thin layer of the chocolate onto it and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes. To make the curls, use a thin metal spatula or a clean putty knife. Press the edge of the spatula under the edge of the chocolate and push it forward... the chocolate will roll up. Place on another baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put back into the freezer to firm up. When you are ready to use, simply decorate the cake as desired... also a great garnish for ice cream!