Chrysanthemum Recipes

Book

Chrysanthemum
by Kevin Henkes

Wear your outfit with the most pockets and load them with your prized possessions and good-luck charms. Have Mac and Cheese with Ketchup for dinner with Chrysanthemum.

Then, enjoy an evening filled with hugs, kisses, and Parcheesi and eat Chrysanthemum's Favorite Dessert, chocolate cake with buttercream frosting.

Cook

Mac and Cheese and Ketchup

Complexity: Cooking roux, chopping, broiling, grating cheese.
Time: 35 minutes prep and active cooking.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Optional: salt, pepper, nutmeg, dried thyme
2 cups+ grated mozzarella
2 cups+ grated cheddar cheese
4 cups pasta - elbow, fusilli, or penne
Breadcrumbs
Optional add ins: broccoli, chicken
Ketchup

Directions

In a pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and continue stirring, making sure to combine the flour and butter thoroughly, cooking for several minutes until the mixture begins to turn a blond to light brown color
Add 2 cups milk, increase the heat to medium-high, and stir continuously until the mixture has thickened
Optional: add in salt, pepper, and nutmeg, or dried thyme
Slowly stir in 4 cups of cheese until melted
In a separate pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil and cook 4 cups pasta.
When pasta is ready, strain and transfer to pan with cheese sauce. Stir to combine.
Optional: add in broccoli and/or chicken.
Transfer to a baking pan or individual bowls, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese, and broil under medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until bread and cheese begin to brown.
Plate with a squirt of ketchup on the side.

Cook

Chrysanthemum's Favorite Dessert

Complexity: Standard cake baking. Pretty easy. Kids can help with mixing.
Time: 20 minutes mixing plus 30-40 minutes baking.

Cake Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 oz. (3/4 cups) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and warm
2 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup hot water

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Ingredients

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 ⅔ cups powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
⅓+ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom of two 8×2- or 9×2-inch round cake pans or line with parchment.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the eggs and vanilla; stir until well blended. Add the flour mixture all at once and stir just until all the flour is moistened.
Pour the hot water over the batter; stir just until it’s incorporated and the batter is smooth.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes for 9-inch pans; 35 to 40 min. for 8-inch pans. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 min. Run a thin knife or rubber spatula around the edge and invert the cake (peel off the parchment if necessary). Invert it again onto the rack and let cool completely.
While the cake is cooking, in a small mixer bowl, cream 6 tablespoons butter.
Sift together powdered sugar and cocoa.
Add powdered sugar and cocoa mix alternately with milk. Beat to spreading consistency (additional milk may be needed).
Blend in vanilla.
When cake is fully cooled, spread frosting over the top and sides. Store in the fridge.