Lately, dinner making at the Klug house has gotten more and more exciting. After finishing grad school (okay, technically a couple weeks left), and starting full time at Quest this month, I wondered how splitting the household chores would go. One of my regular routines has been dinner-making. I admit that I enjoy making food, but there are times when I blankly stare into the refrigerator, every ounce of creativity has seeped out of my body, and wonder what I can possibly make for dinner that will work for both of us. Our situation might not be unique, but since I’m a vegetarian and Alan is not, coupled with the fact that his exercise program for bike season means he needs a substantial caloric and protein intake, sometimes it’s a bit of a stretch to make just one meal.

Sometimes, I make something that can be split and have meat or other protein sources added separately, as Alan claims he will wither away to nothing in the absence of beef, pork, or chicken. Popular items in this category include lasagna (one veggie, one meat), spaghetti (ditto), curry (meat added to half the batch), and soup (ditto). I try and cook big batches for the week, so we can have leftovers for lunch or dinner. This week, I modified a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen’s “Best International Recipes” to use the ingredients I had in the house. We almost had shrimp pad thai (I eat seafood. I’m a cheater, I know.), but since the tamarind paste had somehow eaten through the plastic container, I went with a Kung Pao Shrimp. Not sure how authentic the recipe was, but it was pretty tasty.

For those of you dinner-makers out there, what have you been making lately? Any ideas for us? Also, for those married couples out there, how’s it going with the chore-splitting at home?

For those of you who read Alan’s last post, you know it’s track season. My stress-relieving hobby is baking, so as he wages war against those extra ounces and most of his energy and waking hours are devoted to cycling, I’ve begun a covert operation. Targeting his greatest vulnerability, I have launched a campaign I like to call “Operation Brownie”. The premise is simple: the more chocolate Alan consumes, the happier he is, and the easier it is to entice him to spend time at home rather than on the road. Bribery? Maybe. But after trying brownie recipes far and wide, we have found something approaching perfection. These squares of chocolatey goodness melt in your mouth, aren’t too sweet, and baked the right amount of time, turn out moist without becoming gooey.

Here’s my recipe for Make Alan Stay Home Brownies, drawn from Cook’s Illustrated, a magazine published by the America’s Test Kitchen geniuses.

Classic Brownies

Be sure to test for doneness before removing the brownies from the oven. If underbaked (the toothpick has batter clinging to it) the texture of the brownies will be dense and gummy. If overbaked (the toothpick comes out completely clean), the brownies will be dry and cakey.

1 cup (4 ounces) pecans or walnuts, chopped medium (optional)
1¼ cups (5 ounces) cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into six 1-inch pieces
2¼ cups (15¾ ounces) sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Cut 18-inch length foil and fold lengthwise to 8-inch width. Fit foil into length of 13 by 9-inch baking dish, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; allow excess to overhand pan edges. Cut 14-inch length foil and, if using extra-wide foil, fold lengthwise to 12-inch width; fit into width of baking pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. If using nuts, spread nuts evenly on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Whisk to combine flour, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl; set aside.

4. Melt chocolate and butter in large heatproof bowl set over saucepan of almost-simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. (Alternatively, in microwave, heat butter and chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl on high for 45 seconds, then stir and heat for 30 seconds more. Stir again, and, if necessary, repeat in 15-second increments; do not let chocolate burn.) When chocolate mixture is completely smooth, remove bowl from saucepan and gradually whisk in sugar. Add eggs on at a time, whisking after each addition until thoroughly combined. Whisk in vanilla. Add flour mixture in three additions, folding with rubber spatula until batter is completely smooth and homogeneous.

5. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using spatula, spread batter into corners of pan and smooth surface. Sprinkle toasted nuts (if using) evenly over batter and bake until toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan by lifting foil overhang. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares and serve. (Store leftovers in airtight container at room temperature, for up to 3 days.)

h/t to Katherine for the recipe!