Elementary Chef

Summer time means Sundae time! Next time you pull out that vanilla ice cream, forego the regular canned sauce and mix up a batch of this incredible hot fudge sauce!

Fantastic Hot Fudge Sauce for Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
3/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup butter
1 tsp. Vanilla

In a saucepan, combine corn syrup, cocoa and salt. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Makes 2 cups of sauce. Keeps well in the fridge and can be re-heated. Great with vanilla ice cream.

Here’s one of my favorite chicken recipes. It’s super easy and a big hit with the entire family!

Chicken Oregano
2 ½-3 pounds chicken (I use breasts)
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup olive or vegetable oil
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Lemon slices

Place chicken in an ungreased 9×13-inch baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients, except lemon slices. Pour over chicken. Cook, uncovered, at 375 for 30 minutes, spooning oil mixture over chicken occasionally. Turn chicken. Bake 30 minutes more. Garnish with lemon slices.

Konichiwa from Japan! Yes, that’s right, Elementary Chef is spending a little time across the Pacific. Theoretically, I’m gathering easy recipes to throw out on this site, but in reality, the language barrier is keeping me from learning much. (But I’m eating well!)

I had a conversation with an American friend’s young daughter today. She wanted to know when I was going to have another tea party at my house. (I occasionally have tea parties for my son and our young friends.) I told her I would have one soon when we all got home. She asked if I could make more chocolate cookies. Sure! While grown folks often prefter plain shortbread or tea cakes, the little ones love this chocolate variation.

Chocolate Tea Cakes

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Cocoa (powdered — buy it in the baking section)
1 bag (9 oz.) Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates, unwrapped
Powdered sugar

In large bowl, with an electric mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add flour and cocoa. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed until well blended. Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

Heat oven to 375′F. Mold scant tablespoon of dough around each unwrapped chocolate piece, covering chocolate piece completely. Shape into balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again before serving, if desired.