The World's Greatest Brownies

Makes 16 Large (2-inch) or 32 Small (1-inch) Brownies

Brownie

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound plus 2 Tablespoons butter

4 ounces baking chocolate (be sure to use good-quality chocolate Ghirardelli.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs, beaten until frothy

Frosting

1/2 cup boiling water (You may not need all of it.)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 pound butter

4 ounces baking chocolate

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (300 degrees if using a convection oven). In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, except nuts.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan large enough to hold the chocolate. When the butter is melted, turn down the heat and immediately add the chocolate.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir until both the chocolate and the butter are completely incorporated. Add the vanilla and then the eggs. Whisk until mixed. Add the wet mixture to the dry and whisk until smooth and creamy. Stir in the nuts (if using). (Do not mix the nuts with the dry ingredients because the flour will get trapped in the nutmeats and make white spots in the batter.)

4. Pour the batter into a greased 6x9-inch or 8x8-inch (or line a greased pan with waxed paper) and bake for 22 minutes: check. It may take as long as 30 minutes, depending on the oven. The brownie is done when the edges are firm but the very center jiggles slightly when shaken. If you wait until the center is firm the brownie will be more cakelike and fudgy.

5. Remove from the oven and allow the brownie to cool completely, in the pan. You can frost the brownie in the pan or remove it from the pan (if you used waxed paper) to frost. I prefer to invert the brownie and frost the bottom, which is nice and flat. This necessitates using the waxed-paper method.

6. To frost the brownie, have ready 1/2 cup of water, simmering. Sift the powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Melt the butter in a double boiler, turn off the heat, and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate and butter are both melted. Add the vanilla. Immediately whisk the chocolate mixture into the powdered sugar. With an electric mixer or a whisk, beat until blended. Slowly beat in boiling water until the mixture is creamy and shiny. When this occurs, do not add anymore water.

7. Spread the frosting on the cooled brownies in a thin coat, only enough to cover, and set aside to firm. After 1 hour, return and cut the brownies to the desired size; I recommend cutting them into 2-inch squares.

From Sacramental Magic in a Small-Town Cafe by Br. Peter Reinhart

Fajitas

Serves 6

3 pounds skirt steak or boneless chicken

1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 large onion, sliced into half-moon strips

1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Cut steak or chicken across the grain into strips 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long. The slices should be sliced as uniformly as possible for even cooking, and no thicker than 1/8 inch. It may be easier to do this with partially frozen meat.

2. Place the meat in a bowl and pour the marinade over it. Toss so that it covers the meat evenly. Cover and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

3. Add the mushrooms and onions. Mix well, cover and refrigerate 1 hour more.

4. Pour the meat, mushrooms, and onions through a sieve or colander into a bowl, reserving all excess marinade. Put the marinade in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Keep it hot until serving time.

5. Over a high flame or setting, heat a fajita pan (flat, oblong skillet), or a cast-iron frying pan until very hot. Add the olive oil and spread to coat the pan (if your pan is small, divide the mixture and use 2 pans). Add the meat mixture and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until all the meat is cooked and tender. Remove from the heat.

6. Set a hot pad or trivet on the table and place the fajitas pan on it. The meat is customarily wrapped in warm flour tortillas and served with any of the following: rice, refried beans, salsa, fresca (chopped tomato, green chiles, onion, lemon juice, salt, and pepper), green or red salsa, sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, guacamole or sliced avocado. Serve the hot marinade in a pitcher on the side.

From Sacramental Magic in a Small-Town Cafe by Br. Peter Reinhart

Fajitas Marinade

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup (Lea & Perrins) Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

6 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

12 large cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion

2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and diced

2 tomatoes

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl. You may marinade up to 3 pounds of meat, poultry, or assorted non-leafy vegetables in this mixture.

From Sacramental Magic in a Small Town Cafe by Br. Peter Reinhart

Brother Peter's Beef Brisket

beef brisket, whole (4 + pounds)

2 packets of onion soup mix

1 cup of water

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Place a whole brisket (4 or more pounds) in a roasting pan. Cover the top with any commercial dry onion soup mix and put 1 cup of water in the bottom of the pan. Cover the top of the pan with foil, making sure it is sealed all around the edges to keep the steam in. Roast for approximately 2 1/2 hours or 35 minutes for each pound.

2. When finished cooking, allow it to sit in the covered pan for an additional 20 minutes before removing the foil.

3. Slice the brisket thinly, saving all the juice, occasionally basting the brisket slices in the juice. Simmer slices in the pan juices for 30 minutes. The beef should begin to fall apart, soaking up the juices.

4. To serve, place a few slices of beef on a slice of French bread, and ladle warm barbecue sauce all over.

Adapted from Sacramental Magic in a Small-Town Cafe by Br Peter Reinhart

Holy Smoke Barbecue Sauce

Makes 10 Cups

2 cans (28 ounces each) tomato puree

8 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed

1 medium onion, diced

4 1/2 cups white sugar

2 cups red wine vinegar

5 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup light molasses

4 Tablespoons Tabasco

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon salt

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients, except the lemon juice in a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, then add the lemon juice. Use more peppermash or hot sauce to increase the heat, if desired. Store in icebox; it will keep indefinitely.

Adapted from Sacramental Magic in a Small-Town Cafe by Br. Peter Reinhart

Ginger Ale Tonic

Syrup:
11 cups filtered water
1 pound fresh ginger, cut in 1/4 inch pieces
6 cups honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup lime juice

Drink Mix:
1 cup Canada Ginger ale or tonic water
1/2 - 1 teaspoon powdered vitamin C
1/2 cup ginger syrup

1. Bring water to a boil and add ginger. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Take off heat and add honey. Steep 15 minutes.
3. Stir and strain out ginger and add lemon and lime juices.
4. Store in icebox.
5. To mix drink add ginger ale, vitamin C, and ginger syrup to glass and stir gently.

This is the perfect drink of a nasty cold, though I served it at a couple of bridal showers too!

Adapted from Sacramental Magic in a Small Town Cafe by Br. Peter Reinhart and The Encyclopedia of Natural Remedies by Louise Tenney