Chef Sean Brasel creates the chile-espresso-crusted beef tenderloin at the Meat Market in Miami /photo courtesy Andrew Meade

Ever wondered about Pittsburgh-style steak and why it’s so named? Sean Brasel of Miami’s Meat Market answers that question for readers in my Sun Sentinel column today. There’s also a secret ingredient in the calamari recipe I got from chef Mike Ponluang, of Coco Asian Bistro in Fort Lauderdale.

Check them out – and more – in the Sun Sentinel’s food section online.

Fudge pecan cake /photo by Jan Norris /vintage Jackson China dish

I baked this last week because Cheffie wanted brownies. I didn’t. I’m the baker, so I win. It’s a take-off of the Texas sheet cake, but is not a Texas sheet cake – so if you comment that this is not what a Texan would make, you’re on your own for fall-out comments.

Its ultra-sweet, boiled-sugar icing crunches over when set and adds to the pecan crunch. It’s extremely satisfying for those of us who love texture in our foods. It’s very chocolatey as well. The oil in this cake combined with butter keeps it more moist than the butter alone – but butter adds flavor that oil doesn’t give. You can use all of both if you prefer one or the other.

It has a few steps, but still is simple: Bake it in a 13×9-inch cake pan (not a sheet pan) to keep it moist, and spread the icing on it while it’s still warm. I turned out the cake – didn’t leave it in the pan – but you could if you prefer. I like some of the icing to dribble over the sides. Use excellent vanilla extract – don’t go cheap on this flavoring because you can taste a difference.

One other tip: Always toast nuts when you’re cooking with them. The flavor is much more intense.

Fudge Pecan Cake recipe

• For cake:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (not margarine or spread)
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• For icing:
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup roughly chopped toasted pecans

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and stir in cocoa powder till smooth; add oil and stir to combine. Remove from heat and cool. In a small bowl, beat eggs well and drizzle in cool chocolate mixture; whisk well to combine thoroughly.

Alternating buttermilk and egg mixture, beat both into the flour mixture in two additions each. Beat well after all is incorporated – 1-1/2 minutes at medium-high speed. Add vanilla and beat well again – 1-1/2 minutes. Pour batter into greased and floured 13-by-9-inch baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until the center top barely springs back to the touch. Do not overbake or cake will be dry. Remove and let cool 15 minutes; turn out onto cake board if desired, or leave in the pan for serving. Ice cake while still warm.

While cake is baking, make icing: Combine butter sugar, cocoa, vanilla and salt in saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow butter to melt before stirring, but watch to prevent burning. If your stove runs hot, do this over a double-boiler. Stir butter-sugar-cocoa mixture till smooth and liquid. Add pecans and stir well. Keep mixture over low heat or over a double boiler till cake comes out of oven.

Allow cake to cool 15 minutes before turning it out and icing while warm.

Makes 16 to 20 servings. Cake will freeze well.

Chili, making a mess in my pink Le Creuset enameled cast-iron pot and on my stove

It turned cold by South Florida standards this week – after a long bout of 80+ degree weather and horrid humidity, we welcome temps in the low 70s, or 50s at night.

A perfect time to make a pot of chili.

This stuff doesn’t require long simmering, though you could. I fouled it up amazingly from the start – distracted by a batch of cookies I was making at the same time. I grabbed a can of tomatoes made with basil. I added things all at the wrong time. I had to adjust spices all over the place, but it worked. Remarkably, it turned out super.

Here’s a vague recipe for it. I probably added a bunch of stuff not mentioned. Sorry. Add basil if you so desire – I wouldn’t.

Note: My Texas friends are rolling their eyes and wondering how it is I can call this stuff chili, no doubt. I dunno either!

My cornbread recipe is here.

Jan’s slightly screwed-up chili

Rancho de Chimayo Hacienda sells their chile powder

• 1-1/2 pounds cubed chuck, or ground chuck
• 2 tablespoons chile powder, or to taste (I used what I bought at Rancho de Chamayo in Santa Fe, NM)
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground garlic
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped
• 1 (15 oz.) can red beans
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or whole tomatoes, crushed
• 1-1/2 cups beef or chicken broth – more as needed
• 1/4 cup masa harina
• Fritos and cornbread, for serving

Brown beef with spices, salt and pepper in bottom of large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook to sweat the onion. Pour in beans and tomatoes and stir. Cook for 5 minutes; taste and adjust spices. Add broth and stir. Add masa harina to thicken slightly. Continue to cook, taste and adjust seasonings and thin as needed with extra broth. Cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve hot and steaming in a bowl with cornbread and/or Original Fritos.

Freezes very well.

Makes 8 servings.

This year, I’ve already wowed some recipients with gifts of the traditional “Magic 7-layer cookie bars” – versions of which are known as Congo bars.

They’re too easy (recipe below). I’m making more tomorrow early morning -they’re so fast. They’ve been around for a while – the magic is that they’re more or less just layered in a pan – no mixing bowls needed. Bake and they all come together into this wonderous bar. Yum!

Calories don’t count at Christmas

Wishing you and yours a merry day, and much good food.

Remember: Calories don’t count on this one special day of the year!

Magic 7-Layer Cookie Bars

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or stick margarine
• 1-1/2 cups Graham cracker crumbs (1 cellophane package from a box)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter or butterscotch chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (I like pecans)
• 1 12-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Put butter into a 13-by-9-inch baking pan and put pan in oven till butter is completely melted.

Swirl pan to completely coat bottom and sides with butter. Spread crumbs over bottom of pan; shake pan to distribute crumbs evenly. Add chocolate chips; add peanut butter chips – distributing them evenly over the crumbs. Add nuts and distribute.

Pour sweetened milk over all; top with coconut sprinkled evenly.

Put pan into center of oven and bake for 25 minutes or until coconut is light brown and toasted.

Let cool on a rack. Place pan in refrigerator to cool completely. Slice into 2-inch squares and keep in a cookie tin separated by waxed paper. These freeze very well.

Makes 15-18 bars.

Max's Grille in Boca Raton makes this apple strudel sugar free. /photo by Susan Stocker, Sun Sentinel

This gorgeous apple strudel from Max’s Grille in Boca Raton is actually sugar-free. Also featured today is a recipe for noodle stuffing for your next twist on a holiday turkey.

Find these and a host of other recipes in the food section of today’s Sun Sentinel online. (Note: The Sun Sentinel recipes are linked separately on all their stories in a gray box on the left of the screen in each story. These are on their web site for about two weeks before they’re archived.)

Consider the Apple Beignets and spicy Hot Chocolate he has in this month’s newsletter. He eats them on the weekends at home with his kids with warm apple cider, or he serves hot chocolate.

For your cocktail affairs, he offers the perfect holiday drink – a White Chocolate Peppermint Martini.

Here are his recipes.

Apple Beignets

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup finely chopped apple
• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add milk and egg; beat until batter is smooth. Fold in chopped apple. Drop by teaspoonfuls into deep hot oil — about 350 degrees and at least 3 inches deep. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, until nicely browned.

Drain and dust with powdered sugar.

Hot Chocolate

• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate
• 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup whipped heavy cream (or frothed milk from an espresso machine if lighter topping is desired)

Warm the milk with the sugar, extract, salt and spices until it comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the chocolate pieces until completely incorporated. Serve the hot chocolate in a small heatproof glass with the whipped cream on top.

White Chocolate Peppermint Martini

For 1 drink:

• 1 candy cane, crushed fine
• 2 ounces premium white chocolate liqueur
• 1 ounce peppermint liqueur
• 3 ounces premium Vanilla Vodka
• Splash of cream (optional)
• For garnish: 1 candy cane (small)

Note: Do not chill glass for this martini.

Put an ounce of peppermint liqueur in a dish big enough that the martini rim will fit. Crush a candy cane and put in another dish that will also fit the glass rim. Coat the rim of the glass in the with peppermint liqueur and then dip it in the crushed candy cane.

Add all the other ingredients to a shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously for about a minute. Strain into your martini glass, hang the whole candy cane on the side of the glass.

And enjoy! You also can use different colored candied canes to change it up for parties. Let each person have a different color.

If the candy does not stick to the rim use some simple sugar or honey. (Note: Do not use any citrus!)

Ocean's Grille Turkey Gumbo /photo by Mike Stocker, Sun Sentinel

In today’s Sun Sentinel Food section, my column offers up the recipe for Turkey Gumbo from the Ocean Grille in Fort Lauderdale, and the classic rugelach. Some Hanukkah donuts and cute ideas for a marshmallow dreidel the kids can make are among the other stories in the section. Check it out online.

Chef Dean Max

One of the highlights of the 2011 Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival was the Beard Down South dinner at Buccan in Palm Beach.

A number of chefs participated, including Dean Max, of 3800 Ocean at Singer Island’s Marriott, and of 3030 Ocean in the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale.

Chestnut soup shots from Chef Dean Max of 3800 Ocean, Singer Island

Along with a local wahoo first course, Max made these shots of Chestnut soup that were a hit all around. He admits the recipe is so simple – and it is, except for his meat crouton. His recipe calls for guanciale – a smoked pork cheek meat, available from some Italian specialty shops. We couldn’t find one anywhere locally that carried it, so Max suggests a crouton of slab bacon, fried, to achieve the same result. (Update: Dean Max suggests looking for guanciale from La Quercia Foods, sold in many Whole Foods markets or through custom orders at Whole Foods.)

Since chestnuts are only in stores for a short time, capitalize on them by buying extras, and making extra soup for the freezer – this will freeze well.

Serve the soup in 3-ounce shots for a party, as above. To fill the little glasses easily, use a funnel-spout pitcher, useful also for making pancakes, funnel cakes or filling cupcake molds.

Dean Max’s Chestnut Soup

• 1 pound chestnuts, peeled
• 3 shallots, peeled, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cognac
• 8 cups (2 quarts) chicken stock (low sodium, preferably)
• 1 cup heavy cream, divided
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 pound slab bacon, cut into small cubes, fried crisp

Peel the chestnuts: With flat side down on a kitchen towel, score the end of each nut with a sharp knife in an X pattern. Boil the chestnuts in a small pot for 4 minutes; drain well and pat dry. Spread chestnuts onto a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until edges of cut shell begin to peel slightly. Remove and cool; finish peeling with a knife. Set nuts aside.

Melt butter over medium heat in a medium soup pot. Add shallots and cook till wilted. Add sugar and stir; cook to caramelize sugar. Once sugar is browned and caramelized, add cognac and stir to deglaze pot. Add chestnuts and chicken stock; bring mixture to a boil. Cook for 1 minute and reduce heat to a slight simmer; cook for 20 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup cream and stir well. Pour mixture into a blender to fill 3/4 full (you will need to process several batches, depending on your blender size). Puree soup, taking care to secure lid with kitchen towel, and gradually increasing speed of blender from low to puree. Strain puree into clean pitcher through fine sieve; repeat with remainder of soup. Season with salt and pepper.

Whip remaining cream to soft peaks with cinnamon.

To serve, place cubes of bacon in each glass or bowl (2 cubes per glass or 6 cubes per bowl); ladle or pour soup over all. Dollop each serving with a small spoon of whipped cinnamon cream.

Serves 8 bowls, or makes approximately 35 party-shot servings.

Prime Catch's Gluten Free French Onion Soup /photo by Mark Randall, Sun Sentinel

Here’s one delicious soup – and it’s gluten free. A Gluten Free French onion soup from Prime Catch in Boynton Beach – the one on the waterfront.

Cheesy, and oniony and rich – this is great for a chilly night.

Other great recipes, including the popular Popper Dip are on the Sentinel site, too. Check them out here!

Jan's famous orange-drop cookies

I’m an original cookie monster – I love me some cookies! I will forgo all other desserts for a good cookie.

I therefore pay attention when I find great websites with great cookie recipes.

My favorite so far this year is the Tampa Tribune’s “Cookie Hall of Fame.” It has cookies voted on by readers who chose their favorites from 11 years of cookie recipes that have appeared in the newspaper and online.

This is the Cookie Issue’s 10th anniversary, from food editor Janet Keeler, and I’m delighted to share her site and her great recipes.

I have dozens on my own site

I’ve written about cookies each year – just type the word “cookies” in my search box for a wealth of recipes and ideas for them. I include my family’s all time favorite, the Orange drop cookies.

For cookie bakers – some advice

Baking cookies is not easy in South Florida. Humidity plays a role – and ingredients that succumb to heat in hot, humid kitchens also factor in. Doughs get soft quickly – and must be kept refrigerated till rolled out. Lots of things happen, actually.

Here are my cookie baking tips, gleaned from decades of cookie baking on my own and two decades of judging the contest at my former newspaper. These are for anyone considering entering a contest, but work for everyone who wants to make great cookies.

Bake with your little ones - it's a memory in the making

Know your limitations. If you’re new to baking, take on something simple, rather than a complicated four-part recipe. All you have to do is bake one cookie really, really well – and you’ll soon be known for it.

Use fresh, good quality ingredients. Sounds simple? We have a trash can on hand as we judge. Cookies that have stale nuts, or dried raisins and the worst — old shortening or butter — aren’t even swallowed. We take a dim view of canned icing or slice-and-bake doughs (except for the 3-year-olds’ cookies). Spend time on great ingredients and bake from scratch for great results.

Read the recipe carefully, and measure accurately. We’ve had cookies in previous contests that contain 1/2 cup salt — when it should have been sugar. It’s really obvious. Or 3 tablespoons of an extract when it should be 1/3 tablespoon — it’s a powerful difference. Did you, or didn’t you include the baking soda? Here’s a tip to fix that dilemma: Line up every ingredient in the order used. Once you use an ingredient, turn its container upside down on the counter. Famed baker Maida Heatter taught me that.

Don’t overbake your cookies. Bake them on parchment and put them in the center rack of the oven. Cookies will continue to bake after they’re removed from the oven. Always bake a test cookie, so you don’t waste a whole batch – and figure out just how accurate your oven is against the recipe’s baking time. Adjust accordingly and — for a contest — bake only one sheet at a time, unless you’re adept at moving and turning the sheets to produce perfectly even cookies.

Taste a cookie from the batch you submit! Another no-brainer. But how else would the judges get cookies full of salt or those who forgot sugar, or in the case of a raisin cookie — forgot the raisins?

Don’t use inedible decorations. If it’s not in the recipe, don’t put it on the cookie for “effect.” Several real leaves are poisonous — ditto, berries. We judges don’t go near anything that looks like bugs, either. That’s why they make green food coloring. Use decorations judiciously – less is more! But do make them pretty.

For rolled cookies – roll only twice. You can use your dough scraps once after rolling out the first time; after that, they become way too tough. Be judicious with the amount of flour you use on your rolling surface, too. Tip: To cut cookies neatly, chill the dough well, then roll out thinly, leaving part of the dough in the refrigerator as you work with the rest. Soft dough won’t cut well. Flour your cutters before cutting, and cut straight down, pressing neatly. Remove with a floured spatula to the baking pan.

Pack your cookies with care. First, never pack warm cookies; allow them to cool completely on a rack. Nestle them in crumpled tissue paper or waxed paper to keep them from breaking if they’re fragile. Don’t stack cookies directly on one another unless they’re the same exact size; use small sheets of waxed paper to separate cookies and wrap tightly to prevent shifting.