Halloween Repeats…but with a twist!

So I’m still less than 2 weeks past Halloween, so technically I’m not that late yet.  And even though these are a few repeat recipes, they are just so darn good and pretty looking that I had to share.  The cupcakes do have a slight twist, but the pie does not.  I was just so proud of my repeat Dutch Apple Pie since I picked the apples myself at the orchard last week, so this pie is truly Farm to Table.  You can just call me Kate Gosselin…not because of the fem-mullet or divorced from a crazy husband thing…more along the lines of she’s all into the organic, natural produce thing. 

And now for my twisted cupcakes…no, these aren’t pumpkin cupcakes (although that would be heavenly)…I present to you, Orange Velvet Cupcakes in honor of Halloween!  Yes, they are complete with my favorite, Crack Icing…also known as Cream Cheese Frosting.  I simply just added 1/2 bottle of Yellow Food Coloring with 1/2 bottle of Red Food Coloring to the mix.  I’m already scheming up Green Velvet for St. Patty’s, Blue Velvet for Fourth of July…I mean, who said Red Velvet had to be Red?!  Still delicious no matter what color it is. 

Lastly, because it’s an annual blog tradition, I present to you my 2009 pumpkin.  Baby Mak has a thing for sour, fruity candy, so yes, that’s what I looked like if those darn trick-or-treaters didn’t choose wisely from our candy cauldron. 

His and Hers Pies.

I love pie.  Pie could possibly be the perfect food.  Buttery, crumbly crust filled with delicious fruity, creamy, chocolately, and/or nutty fillings.  There are a few pies I despise though and somehow I married a man who loves the very pies that make me want to hurl.  That list includes: “Stinking” Cherry Pie, Key Lime Pie, and Raspberry Pie.  I’ve already done my part to make him a Cherry Pie, so I decided I would just combine the last two flavors since I don’t really like wasting time and energy on yucky pies.  Surprisingly, my husband loved my Key Lime Raspberry Pie creation, so I don’t feel bad at all for my 2 for 1 pie trick.  I’ve never even ventured to taste this pie, but he would describe it as the perfect balance of both tart and sweet flavors.  It also proved to be quite a hit for other Key Lime and Raspberry Pie lovers.  I’ll just stick with the delicious “Hers” pie below and leave my husband and his strange taste buds to enjoy this strange green pie.  I would never trust a green pie. 

 

Key Lime Raspberry Pie, aka “His” Pie

• 8 egg yolks, beaten
• 2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups key lime juice
• Zest from 1 lime
• 1/4 cup fresh raspberry preserves
• 1 (10 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
   

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest. Mix well.
2. Pour into unbaked graham cracker shell. Warm the raspberry preserves in a pastry bag for 15-20 seconds in the microwave.  Pipe on top of pie and swirl with knife.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before chilling in the fridge until serving time. Top with whipped topping and garnish with lime slices and fresh raspberries.

 

 

Now, I’ve saved the best for last…Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie.  Pecan Pie is pretty sinful all by itself, but adding Chocolate and Bourbon to anything makes it better in my book.  This pie is very rich and sweet, so it’s a perfect “chick” pie.  Ladies love anything super sweet and chocolately.  I like it best when it’s served slightly warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream…so I thank you mister pie a’la mode inventor since I’m all about evening out those rich flavors with a cold, creamy treat. 

 

 

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, aka “Her” Pie

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell (see here for my favorite pie crust recipe)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 tbsp. bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a small saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl combine eggs, bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Slowly pour sugar mixture into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in pecans.
3. Place chocolate on bottom of pie shell.  Pour mixture into pie shell.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until set and golden. May be served warm or chilled. 

An oldie but a goodie…and an unexpected newbie.

I’m a planner.  I love making plans and lists and routines….man, do I love a good ole routine!  You could say spontaneity is not really my friend.  Every once in awhile though, I get a little bit wild and crazy and veer from my usual plans.  My office was holding a charity bake sale and I had planned for about a week to make one of my favs…Black Bottom cake, aka, Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chip Cheesecake filling.  I’ve made it for my coworkers before as cupcakes, so I figured I would play it safe and go with something I knew everyone liked.  Well, once I made the cake, it just didn’t seem like enough when I have a certain baking reputation in the office.  It was late at night and I wasn’t about to run out to the store, so to the pantry I went to see what I could scrounge up.  I found a box of graham crackers, chocolate chips, and marshmallow fluff…I may not be able to bring a bonfire to work, but I was going to figure out someway to bring the S’mores there.   A couple google searches later and I had a graham cracker cookie dough layered with warm milk chocolate and melty marshmallow fluff, all topped with another layer of graham cracker cookie dough to keep this treat as close to the real campfire sandwich as possible.   I was pleasantly surprised in my recipe spontaneity and even more surprised when my coworkers went bonkers over these simple and unplanned treats!  Don’t get me wrong, they usually love just about any baked good, but you would have thought I put some magic koolaid in these suckers with how much they were entranced by their goodness!  It certainly doesn’t take much to make them happy…although, I learned what doesn’t make them happy…when the boss buys my whole bundt cake before they could get their ravenous little hands on it.  It was certainly flattering though, so I will definitely be repeating that cake recipe yet again to keep the baked good peace in the office. 

 

 

 

S’mores Bars (no planning necessary)

• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (if you’re embracing spontaneity like me, then you’ll have to use about 2 cups of milk chocolate chips since that’s all you could find in your pantry)
• 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.  In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.
3. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. Place chocolate bars over dough.  Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff (this is where having chocolate bars instead of chips comes in handy, but it all tastes the same in the end).
5. Roll out remaining dough to about 1/4 inch thick and places as a single layer on top of the fluff (if you care less about aesthetics then just flatten the dough into small shingles and lay them together on top…i’m a tad more OCD so rolling is how i roll).
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.  Instruct ravenous coworkers to nuke in the microwave for 15-20 seconds for that authentic melty campfire taste. 

 

And just for kicks, here’s a shoutout to that oldie but a goodie Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chip Cheesecake filling…this time with a Cream Cheese Glaze…another office winner that bosses and coworkers will fight over.

Red Velvet: Some facts to set you straight.

A couple weeks ago I was asked by 3 different people on 3 separate occasions what exactly is Red Velvet cake…what flavor is it, how does it get red, what does it taste like, and on and on and on.  I know that Red Velvet cake is a Southern thang, but since it’s been gaining popularity lately, I just figured that everyone was up to date on their baked good knowledge…because Lord knows I am.  So if you’re one of those unfortunate souls who has yet to discover Red Velvet, let me help you out with the facts:

• Red Velvet is a mild chocolate cake…not as rich as Devil’s Food cake, but definitely not a Vanilla cake.  It’s somewhere in between, but with a lil bit of tang…you can thank the yummy buttermilk for that delish tangy flavor. 
• It MUST be covered with Cream Cheese frosting.  Some crazy Southerners also insist on topping it with chopped PEE-cans, but not this one.  Save those nuts for a PEE-can pie because they have no place in my Red Velvet cake. 
• It’s red because you dye it red with a whole lotta red food coloring.  It’s not due to some scientific baking reaction, as cool as that would be…it’s just red dye.  I’ve heard that the same group of crazy Southerners will sometimes use beet juice to dye their cake, but again, not this one.  I’m not putting beet anything in any kind of cake.  Ick. 
• It’s delicious.  Yes, that’s a fact and once you try it, you’ll understand.

I have an old stand-by recipe for Red Velvet that I’ve used for awhile and liked, but didn’t love, so I switched things up and think I really have found a winner this time.  The cake is super moist with just the right amount of chocolate and tangy flavor…and the frosting…don’t even get me started on the frosting.  I could eat it with a spoon, but I won’t so I can still fit into my jeans.  This will definitely be my go-to Cream Cheese frosting recipe from now on, but beware that it makes a TON of frosting, so if you’re like me then you better use it all up and get it out of your house because that stuff is like crack.  And I won’t be held responsible for your addiction. 

 

 *These regular size cupcakes were for my ravenous co-workers…next time I think I’ll have to bust out my jumbo cupcake pan for their hearty appetites.  Apparently they are also into hoarding my baked goods in the office refrigerator now, as I saw someone just this past Friday eating one…and I brought these in 2 weeks ago.  That my friends, is dedication.

 

*These darling mini cupcakes were for my sister-in-law’s bridal shower, as ladies always love desserts in mini form.  Why, you ask?  Well, 1). because they’re just so darn cute, and 2). because they can eat a bunch of them and tell themselves that since they’re so small, they must not be bad for you.  Oh and not only are they topped with matching red sugar, but yes, that is edible glitter you see sparkling on those babies…the ladies also love the bling. 

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

For the Cake Batter:

• 15 1/2 ounces All-Purpose Flour (this is the first recipe I’ve used that required me to weigh the flour and sugar, but I’m a believer now… so do it and don’t complain)
• 1 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 2 tbsp. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I upped the cocoa powder to this amount because it was originally just 2 tsp. and I like my red velvet to actually taste chocolatey and not just a hint of chocolate…you might have to use some extra red dye though because of the added cocoa, but I think it tastes better this way)
• 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil
• 13 ounces Sugar
• 1 1/4 cups Buttermilk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Red Food Coloring (I just used one entire bottle of red food coloring to cover up my addition of the extra cocoa powder)
• 1 1/4 tsp. Vinegar (white or apple cider can both work)
• 1 1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 cup Water

For the Crack, aka, Cream Cheese frosting:

• 1 1/2 pounds Cream Cheese, room temperature
• 1 pound Butter, room temperature
• 2 pounds Powdered Sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract

 

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.  Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.
2. In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well.
3. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough.
4. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
5. For the cream cheese frosting: Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week (this could potentially be very dangerous to late-night frosting spoon dippers like myself, so this is your warning). Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.

I love my cupcake pushing Mama.

I could never pick my absolute favorite cupcake…classic vanilla, red velvet, carrot cake, double chocolate, banana with cream cheese frosting…I could keep going, but I’ll spare you.  Even though I could never pick a #1 favorite, this next one is definitely one of my many favorites.  Let me introduce you to my friend, Black Bottom Cupcake…she’s also known as chocolate-cupcake-topped-with-chocolate-chip-cheesecake-filling…or for short, heaven.  I didn’t even discover this little piece of heaven until a couple years ago during a trip down to Perry(dise), Georgia to visit my Mama.  She made these and I wasn’t really intrigued because 1.) No frosting?!?  How could I love something that doesn’t have frosting?  and 2.) I’m usually not a fan of anything with the word “cheesecake” in it.  One bite in and I honestly feel like I’ve been missing out for my entire life.  It’s incredibly rich, moist, fudgy, and surprisingly, I didn’t miss frosting at all.  Plus, it made me rethink my whole aversion to cheesecake…when you add chocolate chips and a chocolate cupcake to the mix, I certainly love me some cheesecake.  Sometimes all you need is for your Mama to force your finicky self to try something new and you’ll thank her for years to come. 

 

 

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Water
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 tbsp. Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla

Filling

• 8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 1/8 tsp. Salt
• 1 cup Miniature Semisweet Chocolate Chips

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with paper liners or lightly grease. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Make a small well in the center of the bowl and add the water, oil, vanilla, and vinegar.  Stir together until well blended.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and salt.  Beat for 5-7 minutes or until light and fluffy.  Fold in the chocolate chips. 
4. Fill the cupcake tins 1/2 full with cake batter and top with a heavy dollop of filling.  Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. 
5. Feel free to enjoy right outta the oven, or resist temptation and wait a day as these definitely get better over time…you can thank me later. 

The very best type of Bark…it should be obvious that it doesn’t involve trees or a doghouse.

Hip hip hoorah!  It’s my last holiday recipe posting and I’ve managed to get it in before MLK weekend.  We also got all of our Christmas decor taken down last weekend, so it’s definitely been a record setting year already.  I have so been the girl with the tree still up in mid-February, so I don’t judge if that’s you.  Even though it’s after the holidays, the good news is that this next recipe is,  1.) a delicious treat for any holiday or no holiday at all, and 2.) it looks oh-so-fancy, but doesn’t have oh-so-fancy instructions.   Chocolate Bark always comes out in stores around the holidays and a little bitty tin of it is almost always overpriced and skimping on the good stuff, so why not make your own really big tin with lots of delish add-ins?!  And this recipe is so easy that once you make one type of bark, you pretty much just repeat the process but with different variations of chocolate and goodies.  Take that Crate and Barrel with your $15 tiny tin of Chocolate Bark! 

 

Peppermint Oreo Swirl Bark

 

 

 

 

• 8 oz. White Chocolate, chopped
• 4 oz. Vanilla Almond Bark
• 8 oz. Semisweet Chocolate, chopped
• 4 oz. Chocolate Almond Bark
• 1 cup Andes Peppermint Chips (or just break a bunch of peppermint candies with a hammer)
• 25-30 Oreo Cookies, crushed

 

1. Line an 11 x 17  jelly roll pan with wax paper.  Set aside. 
2. Melt the white chocolate and vanilla almond bark together for 30 second intervals.  Stir after each interval and continue heating and stirring until smooth.  Do the same for the semisweet and chocolate bark in a separate container. 
3. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of peppermint chips and about 1/3 of the crushed oreos onto the bottom of the pan. 
4. Gently pour the melted white chocolate into random areas of the pan.  Follow with the dark chocolate.  Using the flat edge of a spatula, swirl the two chocolates together into pretty little swirly patterns. 
5. Sprinkle the remaining peppermint chips and oreo pieces on top of the swirled chocolate.  Chill until firm. 
6. Once bark has set, break into pieces and store in an air tight container. 

 

 

Milk Chocolate S’mores Bark

 

 

 

• 16 oz. Milk Chocolate Chips
• 4 oz. Chocolate Almond Bark
• 10 Graham Crackers, crushed
• 1.5 cups Mini Marshmallows

 

1. Line an 11 x 17  jelly roll pan with wax paper.  Set aside. 
2. Melt the milk chocolate chips and chocolate almond bark together for 30 second intervals.  Stir after each interval and continue heating and stirring until smooth. 
3. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mini marshmallows and about 1/3 of the crushed graham crackers onto the bottom of the pan. 
4. Gently pour the melted chocolate into the pan
5. Sprinkle the remaining marshmallows and graham crackers on top of the chocolate.  Chill until firm. 
6. Once bark has set, break into pieces and store in an air tight container. 

 

 

White Chocolate Cranberry Almond Bark

 

 

 

• 12 oz. White Chocolate, chopped
• 6 oz. Vanilla Almond Bark
• 1 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1 cup Almonds, chopped

 

1. See above and do the same but with these ingredients.  If you can’t figure that out, then you shouldn’t be in the kitchen. 

A very sweet ending to such a very long cooking marathon.

Dessert was definitely the perfect ending to our Pre-Thanksgiving party, but I played it smart and actually started out my cooking marathon by doing all my baking a day in advance.  This way, I was able to take my time and not feel rushed as attempted to truly understand what “from scratch” meant.  It basically just means a whole lotta work.  Work that is definitely well worth it though once you take that first bite…you almost forget how much your hands and back are killing you.  Who am I kidding…pie and chocolate makes me forget my name, so I’m definitely not thinking about the physical pain from cooking. 

 

Dutch Apple Pie

This is definitely my favorite type of pie, yet this was my very first time making one from scratch.  Making the crust turned out to be a whole lot easier than I thought…but peeling, coring, and dicing all those apples turned out to take a whole lot longer than I thought.   Especially when you google “how many apples do you need for 5 cups?” and google tells you 12 apples.  Well, after spending over two hours with those darn apples, I discovered that I had 15 CUPS of apples!   Mildly irritating, but hey, now I had enough apple filling for 2 extra pies and unexpected pies make people happy.  Especially when those unexpected pies are delish and let me tell you, this one was near perfect.  The filling was not runny at all and had just the right amount of spice to it.  The topping was filled with buttery goodness and had the perfect crunch.  And a few seconds in the microwaved really gave me a whole new perspective on homemade pie.  I’m pretty much committed to this whole “from scratch” thing now that I’ve had that first sweet taste, but at least now I know how many apples are in 5 cups and I can cut down on my prep time.  Darn google. 

 

Pie Crust

• 1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 tbsp. Sugar
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 cup Butter, cold and cubed
• 3 tbsp. Water, iced

Pie Filling

• 5 cups Apples, peeled/cored/sliced (I prefer a Granny Smith/Jonagold mixture…it’s a good combo of tart and sweet)
• 4 tbsp. Cornstarch
• 2/3 cup White Sugar
• 3 tbsp. Brown Sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
• 2 tbsp. Butter

Pie Topping

• 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 3/4 cup Rolled Oats
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Butter, cold and cubed

 

1. To make the crust, fit your mixer with the paddle attachment and stir together the flour, sugar, and salt.  Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat.  Mix on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.  Add the water on low speed and mix until the dough pulls together. 
2. Transfer the dough to a work surface, pat into a ball, and then flatten into a disk.  Lightly flour the work surface and then flatten the disk with 6-8 taps of a rolling pin.  Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn.  Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and then roll out to at least 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8 inch thick.  Fit dough into pie pan and then chill until ready to add the fruit filling.  You can go ahead and preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 
3. To make the pie filling, place the apple slices in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Mix well and then combine with the apples.  Toss until all apples are evenly coated. 
4. In a large sauce pan, add 2/3 of the apple mixture over medium-high heat.  Bring it to a boil and then simmer the filling for at least 2 minutes.  Add the remaining raw fruit and then take it off the heat. 
5. Fill your pie crust with the filling and add 2 tbsp. of cubed butter to the top of the fruit.  Loosely cover with foil and bake at 425 for 10 minutes. 
6. While filling is baking, you can make the pie topping.  Combine the flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, and cinnamon in a bowl.  Mix thoroughly and then cut in 1/2 cup of butter until the mixture is crumbly.  Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the topping over the pie. 
7. Turn the oven down to 375 and bake an additional 35-40 minutes until the streusel is browned.  Make sure to cover your crust with foil or use a crust shield to prevent it from burning. 

 

(Stinking) Cherry Pie

Not only did I bake my favorite pie, but I also made my least favorite pie…Stinking Cherry.  You already know about my dislike of cherry, so it’s no surprise that I only made this pie out of love for my hubby.  Well, that and I wanted to try out my shiny, new lattice cutter.  The pie certainly looked pretty and I’m told by the cherry lovers at our party that it was tasty, so if you love yourself some Stinking Cherries, than I suggest you try it out.  I will say that after researching several Cherry Pie recipes, this one had the magical addition of Almond Extract, which I initially thought was pretty random, but I’m pretty sure that it’s what made the filling.  I love those magical ingredients. 

 

Pie Crust

• See recipe above and double it so that you can make a pretty lattice top. 

Pie Filling

• 2 lbs. Tart Cherries, pitted
• 1 1/8 cup White Sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp. Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. Butter
• 1/4 tsp. Almond Extract

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a saucepan, combine the cherries, cornstarch, and sugar.  Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. 
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly.  Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. 
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and almond extract.  Mix thoroughly and pour into the pie shell. 
4. Cover with the top shell, seal the edges, and cut away excess dough.  Bake at 375 for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.  Be sure to cover the edges of the crust with foil or a crust shield to prevent burning. 

 

Outrageous Brownies (No, I’m not a surfer dude…this just happens to be the official name that Ina Garten gave them)

I’ve been quite content with the Hershey’s brownie recipe for quite some time…that is until I saw a repeat episode of Barefoot Contessa making these “Outrageous Brownies”…and then I saw the recipe again during a demonstration at my local Crate and Barrel…and then it popped up on my screen when I was browsing the Food Network website one day…that was it.  I just knew I couldn’t ignore the signs any longer.  It was time to test out the outrageousness of Ina’s brownies.  I like Ina, but sometimes she’s just a little too uppity for my tastes and the last thing I wanted was a snobby brownie.  Well, Ina definitely proved me wrong.  These are the richest, fudgiest (is that a word?), most decadent brownies that I have ever tasted and it’s easily replaced my old Hershey standby.   The recipe makes more than a glutton could ask for, so I had more than enough for my party and a whole tray for my coworkers the next day…and just for more reassurance that Ina knows her stuff, I was told by several coworkers that it was by far the best brownie they ever tasted.  My dear Ina, I judged you before I really knew you and I was so wrong….you and your brownies totally outrageous. 

 

• 1 lb. Butter (No, it’s not a typo…I never said that Ina was heart healthy.)
• 1 lb. + 6 oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips, divided
• 6 oz. Milk Chocolate Chips  (I like the combo of milk and dark chips, but if you don’t like variety than just stick with dark like Ina says)
• 6 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate
• 6 extra large Eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. Instant Coffee
• 2 tbsp. Vanilla
• 2 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour, divided
• 1 tbsp. Baking Powder
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour a 13×18x1 1/2 jelly roll pan. 
2. Melt together the butter, 1 lb. semisweet chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler.  Once it’s smooth, cool slightly. 
3. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, vanilla, instant coffee, and sugar.  Stir in the warm chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and allow to come to room temperature. 
4. Mix together 1 cup of flour, salt, and baking powder.   Add to the cooled chocolate mixture and stir until it’s completely incorporated. 
5. Coat the 6 oz. of semisweet chocolate chips and 6 oz. of milk chocolate chips in 1/4 cup of flour, and then fold into the batter. 
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.  About halfway through the baking time, rap the pan against the oven shelf to release air bubbles between the pan and the brownies.  Be sure to not overbake.  Cool thoroughly and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares. 

Training for a marathon? Try a Battle of the Blondies.

Gus and I are hosting a Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner Party for some of our family and friends next weekend, and like any cook knows, preparing Thanksgiving Dinner is like running a marathon so I have a lot of training to do (The main event includes a 20 lb. bird, over 7 side dishes, and more than a few desserts.  Yes, I’m already scared).  Some of that training includes recipe testing, so last night I conducted my very own “Battle of the Blondies” to find which blondie recipe was superior.  A blondie is a chewy, moist, rich, buttery brownie, just without the cocoa powder.  The best part about making blondies is deciding what to add in…the options are endless.  For my taste test, I tried out 2 different blondie recipes and added milk chocolate chips to one and a combination of toasted, buttery pecans and toffee bits to the other.  The ingredients for each blondie base were slightly different and one of the preparation methods was kinda weird…this was my first time baking something that didn’t cream together the butter and sugar, rather it creamed the sugar with an egg.  I was kinda concerned how those would turn out, but after my own personal taste test and the voting of my coworkers, I’d have to say that the weird preparation base was the favorite.  I enjoyed the more classic add-in of the chocolate chips more, so I think I’ll switch it up next time.   See, now I will be fully prepared next weekend to make the best blondie possible and get through that Thanksgiving Dinner marathon!  And I can say with 100% certainty that this is the only marathon you will ever see me train for…sure, I force myself to the gym for those dreaded cardio sessions, but only so I can taste test blondies and still fit into my jeans. 

 

Blondie #1 with Butter Pecans and Toffee Bits  (aka, the winner with the weird preparation)

 

 

• 8 tbsp. Butter, melted
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 cup Toffee Bits (or whatever floats your blondie boat…white chocolate chips, walnuts, dried cranberries, M&M’s, peanut butter chips…I could go on all day.)
• 1/4 cup Pecan Chips, toasted (Lightly coat the chips in 2 tsp. melted butter and toast in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes)

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8×8 pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar and egg for about 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. 
3. Add the butter and vanilla and beat well. 
4. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda.  Stir into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.  Do not overmix.
5. Fold in the toasted pecans and toffee bits. 
6. Spoon into the greased pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the middle has set.  Cool on rack before cutting into 2 inch squares. 
8. Store in an airtight container and try to use your willpower not to eat all of these when they come out of the oven, because they get better as they sit for a day or two.

 

 

Blondie #2 with Milk Chocolate Chips (the loser, but still tasty as they disappeared in less than an hour in my office)

 

 

• 7 tbsp. Butter, melted
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 cup Milk Chocolate Chips

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease an 8×8 pan. 
2. With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar.  Beat until smooth.
3. Add in the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix well.
4. Stir the flour, salt, and baking powder into the wet ingredients and mix just to incorporate.  Do not overmix. 
5. Fold in 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips or any other desired add-ins. 
6. Spoon into pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. 
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set in the middle.  Cool on rack before cutting into 2 inch squares. 

Boo! I’m not trying to scare you…I’m just booing a repeat recipe.

I just love the month of October and Halloween is the perfect ending to such a fabulous month.   I had all these new recipe ideas for a cutesy Halloween themed treat for the blog, but I was told by my boss that my job was on the line if I didn’t bring in Oreo Truffles ASAP…and I really like my job, so I’ve got nothing new for you today.   I did manage to get a little creative with them, and I made some creepy bloodshot eyeballs and orange colored truffles with the help of oil based food coloring.  When coloring chocolate, the stuff that you use to dye Easter eggs and comes in the little squirt-bottles won’t work, so just spend the extra $4 on the good stuff.  The Oreo Truffles are delicious, but only make them if you are comfortable receiving job threats on a weekly basis. 

 

 

 

And just for kicks, now it’s time for the who carved which pumpkin game, Danielle or Gus?!  I’ll give you a hint…mine is the pretty one.    Apparently the squirrels liked Gus’ pumpkin better though because after just 12 hours on our porch, I found the lid on the bottom of the steps, covered in teeth marks.  I guess our squirrels think that monogrammed pumpkins aren’t very tasty. 

 

2 little monkey’s jumping on the bed…or eating all the bananas.

You know how people usually bake Banana Bread when they have leftover bananas going bad on the counter?  Yeah, well that never happens in my house.   I think we’re part monkey because we never have leftover bananas.  So what’s a monkey to do???  Hide a secret stash of bananas in the back of the pantry and try to forget about them until they’re all tan and ready for baking.   I am of the opinion that Banana Bread should be really banana-ey, so this recipe definitely does not skimp on the banana flavor.  The extra helping of bananas also helps to keep the bread very moist.  And the chocolate chips AND chunks (2 types of chocolate are always better than one, except in The.Best.Chocolate.Chip.Cookies.Ever.)…well, those are optional, but only if you want the option of making a less than stellar baked good.  It’s a no brainer.  Bananas+Chocolate might not be the new Brangelina like Pumpkin+Cream Cheese Frosting, but it’s up there…it’s at least the new TomKat.  Minus the creepy Scientology part, of course. 

 

 

Banana Chocolate Chip AND Chunk Bread

• 6 large overripe Bananas, mashed (should be about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Butter, softened
• 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
• 4 oz. Semisweet Chocolate, chopped into chunks

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan. (I like Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour)
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. 
3. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Stir in the eggs, mashed bananas, and vanilla until well blended.
4. In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips and chunks with a dusting of flour.  (Do you like your chocolate to sink to the bottom of your bread?  I didn’t think so. ) Put a handful of chips/chunks aside to use as topping.
5. Add the banana mixture and chocolate chips/chunks to the dry ingredients and fold in gently, just to moisten.  Just like my muffin advice, do not over mix.  
6. Pour batter into the loaf pan and top with the reserved chips/chunks. 
7. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes.  Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to continue cooling.