Sliced Strawberries

CPB Whoopee Pies

2010-06-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

I wish you could see my face when I sank my teeth into one of these little delightful things. Oh man.....Chocolate and peanut butter has to be one of my favorite combos. The only thing that would make this better would be Espresso. Done and done!

I have this obsession with Whoopee pies. I don't quite understand what it is. All I know is you say whoopee and I say....yes please! Or rather...I might beg you for one. I recently bought a whoopee pie pan and have been dying to break in to it. I have a confession, I am not huge on kitchen gadgets. I love using my knife to dig into an avocado rather than an avocado slicer. My weakness....pans. I really do have a weakness for these. Madeleine, bundt, mini bundt, cupcakes, mini cupcakes, tarts, etc....all these have such fun pans. I even have a muffin top pan. Oh yes!!!! I really do. So of course when I saw a pan for whoopees, I was on that like white on rice.

I even love whoopee's so much, I bought the cutest little recipe book for them. I think I mainly bought it because it was so freaking cute. Hands down, it is one of my favorite recipe books. :) I made these cakes from that book. It is just the beginning. There are so many variations. Oh shoot....that means I am going to have to experiment.....it is going to taste so goooooood. My first taste test....CPB..chocolate peanut butter.

CPB Whoopee Pies
Recipes from Whoopie Pies
Yields 12 pies
Print recipe

Ingredients
cake:
1 2/3 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 cup, packed, dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

filling:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions
Cake:
Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease two whoopee pie pans.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening, and brown sugar on low speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes.

Add half of the flour mixture and half of the milk to the batter and beat on low until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and 1/2 cup milk and beat until completely combined.

Fill the pan about 3/4 full for each pie. Bake for about 10 minutes of until the pies spring back when pressed gently. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

Filling:
In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter and butter on low speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat on low to incorporate. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Assemble:
Put the the peanut butter filling into a ziploc bag and cut the tip off. Pipe the filling onto one pie. Place the top on the filling, creating a sandwich. Whooooooopee pies!!!

Picture of when I said......Oh baby!!! This is going to be awesome!

Beef Stroganoff

2010-06-14T00:25:00.000-07:00

I noticed that I have been so excited about baking and posting it on my blog, I decided I need to show my savory side as well. This is definitely a feel good dish. And boy did it feel good to eat it! I mean seriously, beef and sour cream, hello!!! Heaven on noodles.

I made a few adjustments to the ingredients below. I used low fat sour cream and instead of sherry, I used Merlot wine. I had some left over from the night before so I used it.....why not? I believe all good cooks can improvise when they do not have certain ingredients. You also know me though, I want to use up all the ingredients I have before they go to waste.

I also used 1 1/2 pounds of mushrooms. I love love love mushrooms. I will buy them by the bag and just eat them like that or dip them in hummus. Yummmy! I think I pretty much eat them every week. I also enjoyed this meal with the rest of the Merlot from the night before. It was a perfect weekend dinner. I had looked at dozens of recipes for a Stroganoff and this one really caught my eye. Enjoy. :)

Beef Stroganoff
Recipe by Bon Apetit
Yields 6 servings
Print recipe

Ingredients
2 lbs top round roast
2 cups of buttermilk
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 pound of sliced mushrooms, sliced thick
1teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup beef broth or stock
2 tablespoons sherry
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Egg noodles or rice to serve on

Directions
Cut the meat in about 2 inches long, 1 inch wide, and 1/4 inch thick. Place the meat in a large plastic freezer bag and add the buttermilk. Seal the bag and massage the meat to make sure it is well coated. Marinate at least over night and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Drain the meat and pat dry with paper towels. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry the beef in batches until slightly browned, about 30 seconds per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add the butter and onions and cook till translucent. Add mushrooms, thyme, and paprika and cook till the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour, stir, and cook about a minute. Add the beef broth and sherry, turn heat to medium low and let thicken for about 5 minutes. Return the meat and any juices, till just heated through, 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sour cream, mustard and parsley. Serve over rice or egg noodles.

This is a picture of the mushrooms before the broth was added. This doesn't even do it justice. All the colors combined were absolutely gorgeous!

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

2010-06-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

Hmmm....the last time I had a pancake???!!! I seriously can not remember! How awful is that? That is not even American! Truth be told, I am not a huge pancake eater at all. I would prefer to eat Eggs Benedict or corned beef hash for breakfast. However, ever since I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it, and if you ever read my blog, you know that my house is never short on bananas. I had a lazy morning and decided that was just what the Dr called for. It was perhaps a little bit of Heaven on Earth. I paired it with one of my most favorite things in the world.....a large cup of coffee.

Now promise you won't laugh?? Right! I know you will. Here goes...since I have not eaten pancakes forever that would also mean that I have not MADE pancakes in forever. The first pancake I poured on to the sizzling hot grill was quite large. I frantically tried to scoop it back in to the bowl before it was too late. Since I also did not want to burn the first pancake, it was a bit uncooked....don't tell anyone, I fed them to the poor unknowing souls. Haha, they loved it! How could they not?!

What I love about this recipe is the sour cream adds just a touch of tang and also makes the pancakes moist and a little more dense. If you prefer to have your pancakes a bit more light and fluffy, just add a little more milk to the batter. The cinnamon compliments the bananas so well....I was very pleased with the outcome. I must confess....I do have a bad habit of drowning my pancakes in butter. Please tell me you do the same! I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Print Recipe
Yields about 10 pancakes

Ingredients

4 ounces milk (I used non-fat)
4 ounces sour cream (I used low fat)
2 large eggs
2 ounces butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-3 ripe bananas, diced
pure maple syrup

Directions

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

Raspberry Loaf Cake

2010-06-07T23:16:00.000-07:00

My mission lately has been to start creating recipes of my own. It brings the creative part of the brain to a whole different level. Now I have to start thinking....what flavors go well together and how do I even begin to know how much flour should go into making a loaf cake. So off to do my research I go! I bought a book called Ratios which helps you understand how much flour would go into cupcakes versus pancakes. It also emphasizes using a scale rather than measuring cups. I was not too keen on this idea. To begin with, I would have to BUY a scale...ugh. But I did, and I can tell you, no regrets. I am a believer!!!!! I honestly believe this is what made my loaf so tasty. Measuring cups can be so diversified and you end up having different amounts than what you wanted. Using a scale, it will be the same every single time without a shadow of a doubt. I am going to be buying a spare pack of batteries for this thing for sure. I think I am in love with it.

I absolutely love baking. If a week goes by and I have not used my stand mixer and oven, I get anxious. Between work and school, I do not have much time at all to devote to baking, but I find the time! So sometimes, just a simple and quick recipe is just what I need. My raspberry loaf cake is so moist and so simple, it is perfect.

Raspberry Loaf Cake
Sliced Strawberries recipe
Makes one Loaf
Print Recipe

Ingredients
8 ounces Flour (about 2 cups)
4 ounces Sugar (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces buttermilk (about 1 cup)
2 large eggs
1 stick of butter, melted, room temperature
6 ounces fresh raspberries

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla, buttermilk, eggs, butter and whisk till mixed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in intervals of 3, mixing completely till adding each interval of the dry ingredients. Once combined, fold in the raspberries.

Pour the batter into an oiled loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife is inserted in the middle of the cake and comes out clean. Let sit in the pan for 5 minutes then remove it and serve warm or at room temperature.

Basil Garlic Bread

2010-06-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

What can sell me on an entree at a restaurant is.....BASIL! The smell of it is so aromatic and I have not met one person who does not enjoy basil. If you are that one person, please don't burst my bubble. I dream of one day having bushes upon bushes of basil growing in my garden. Basil is a hard plant to kill! I don't have too much of a green thumb either, that may be another reason why I like it so much.

The strong, delightful smell of basil wafted through the whole house. I could barely contain myself. I think I almost drooled....almost!!! This bread is great for sandwiches or smearing some butter all over the warm, toasted bread. This would also be a great edition to the eggs in the morning instead of boring old wheat toast.

There is such a great feeling in making your own bread. I love being resourceful and knowing that I don't have to rely on a grocery store for everything. As I have said before, I am really enjoying making breads right now.

Basil Garlic Bread
From Fat Girl Trapped In A Skinny Body
Makes 2 loaves
Print Recipe

Ingredients
2 tbsp. instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 cup cottage cheese, at room temperature (I used non fat)
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 heaping tbsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
1 tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. olive oil
3-4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour

Directions
Combine the yeast and the water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and stir to dissolve the yeast. Add all remaining ingredients, except flours, to the bowl and mix until a dough has formed. Switch over to the dough hook and stir at low speed. Add flour 1 cup at a time until you have a soft dough that clears the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading on low speed for 5-6 minutes.

Transfer the dough ball to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place. Let rise until the dough has doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. *If the kitchen isn't warm, turn on the oven to 200 degrees and set the bowl with the dough by the oven. The dough needs some warmth to help it rise.

When the dough has doubled, punch it down and shape into a log the size of a loaf pan. Place into a lightly greased loaf pan and press down gently so that the dough touches all sides of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again in a warm place, 30-60 minutes.

When the loaf has risen, remove the plastic wrap and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes, then cover with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning and bake another 15-20 minutes longer. Let cool for 5 minutes and then remove from pan and cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Sun Dried Tomato Muffins

2010-06-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about using sun dried tomatoes in a recipe for awhile. I enjoy sun dried tomatoes in a lot of things but have never actually cooked with them. Odd...I know! They are so fabulous and easy to store. Why not??? I came across this recipe, had some cottage cheese that needed to be used up...done and done! voila....muffins. They also contain a couple of my other favorite things in life...parmesan and basil. Nice.

I don't know that I feel comfortable calling these muffins. I would say they are a mixture between a quiche and a muffin. Maybe a quiche cup? Or a muffiche? Did I seriously just say that?? Dang. No more blogging after 10 pm.

I like that these are low in carbs and healthy. They are packed full of good, life giving nutrients, protein and not too high in calories.

Sun Dried Tomato Muffins
From 101 Cookbooks
Makes about 9 muffins
Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup plain cottage cheese, I used low fat
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/4 cup flour
1 cup almonds, very finely ground
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (in oil), finely chopped
1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup water
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a muffin pan with medium-sized paper baking cups, you'll need nine of them.

Put the cottage cheese into a bowl with all but 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, water, and eggs, and season with salt, then mix all together.

Spoon the mixture into the muffing cups 3/4 full, scatter with the remaining Parmesan, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set, risen, and golden brown. Serve as hot or at room temperature.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

2010-05-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

My family gets a bit over zealous when it comes to buying bananas. No joke! Before a single banana has been eaten, an additional 5 bananas have been added to the basket. If I didn't know any better, I would think bananas were going extinct the way my house is always stocked with them. That, or they are ALWAYS on super clearance!! I am not one that enjoys waste. I am a big believer in not wasting and being creative with the surplus. I have over a dozen frozen bananas in my freezer at any given moment. I am always on the search for new recipes that call for bananas. Banana cookies? Banana waffles? Anything.

I really enjoyed this recipe for a couple of reasons. The stand mixer did not have to get dirty thus only having to use a couple of utensils and bowls.....easy clean up!!!! I was headed out to Big Bear with my friend Julie, in a few short hours and I really wanted something freshly baked for the road. This was the perfect amount and took hardly any time to make. The muffins are super moist and are on the healthier side. Almost all of the sweetness is coming from the natural sugars in the fruit.

Strawberry Banana Muffins
Makes 6 muffins
Recipe adapted from Fat Girl Trapped In A Skinny Body
Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup strawberries, chopped
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 banana, mashed
2 tbsp applesauce

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 6 muffin tins with paper liners and spray with oil.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, sugar and salt.

In another bowl combine the Chopped strawberries, mashed banana, egg, applesauce and vanilla. Add the dry mixture to the banana mixture. Mix with a fork just until combined. Spoon into 6 muffin cups. Fill to the top; the muffins puff up perfectly and don't overflow.

Bake for 25-28 minutes. Cool slightly before enjoying.

Goat Cheese Tart

2010-05-25T00:58:00.000-07:00

I will always choose cheese over anything! Hands down!!! It is by far my favorite thing to devour. Cheese can be sweet and savory. So many possibilities. Goat Cheese is definitely on my top 5 favorites of cheese. I am a major texture eater and the creaminess of it just thrills me. I will try to make any recipe that has cheese in the recipe.

This tart is delicious. I cut one, sensible sized piece for me, trying to restrain from consuming the entire thing. Within five minutes, I was back in the kitchen cutting another slice. The next morning, I had it for breakfast. I couldn't keep my hands off of it. The shallots add just a bit of sweetness that compliments the creamy, savoriness quite well. The flaky crust is so buttery and well worth the little bit of extra effort for making it from scratch.

Goat Cheese Tart
From Barefoot Contessa
Print Recipe
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board
Kosher salt
13 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, divided
3 to 4 Tablespoons ice water
10 1/2 Ounce garlic and herb soft goat cheese
1 Cup half and half
3 Extra large eggs
1.4 Cup bail leaves
1/8 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, put the flour and 1.4 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Cut 12 tablespoons of the butter into large dice, add to the bowl, and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. With the machine running, add the ice water all at once and process until the dough becomes crumbly. Don't over process. Dump the dough out on a floured board, gather it loosely into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough on a well-floured board and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable sides, rolling the pin over the top to cut off the excess dough. Butter 1 side of a square of aluminum foil and if it, butter side down, into the tart pan. Fill the foil with rice or beans. Bake for 20 mins. Remove the beans and foil from the tart shell, prick the bottom all over with a fork, and bake for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a small pan and saute the shallots over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tender. Place the goat cheese in the bowl of the food processor and process until crumbly. Add the cream, eggs, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and process until blended.

Scatter the cooked shallots over the bottom of the tart shell. Pour the goat cheese mixture over the shallots to fill the shell (if the shell has shrunk, there may be leftover filling.) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tart is firm when shaken and the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool for 10 minutes a serve hot or at room temperature.

Maple Pecans and Brie

2010-05-23T22:29:00.000-07:00

Planning a party or a small get together can be overwhelming. What are we going to eat? Drink? Is the guest bathroom clean? What I like about get togethers is, keeping the food as simple as possible. I think that is best way to enjoy the moment. The hard part comes when you want the food to at least look like you tried. I would never dare put out a bowl of popcorn and pop open a bottle of wine. Welcome friends!! Take your jacket off and stay awhile. haha. No.

Brie cheese has really become a hit. I love the creaminess of it and pairs so well with nuts. This is a very simple recipe but no one will know that you didn't bake it for hours. They will just delight in the taste. What I also love about this recipe, I had all of the ingredients at home already. I keep this stuff stocked in my pantry. Give this a try at the next girls night. I promise they will love it. :)

Maple Pecans and Brie
Serves about 4 people
Print recipe

Ingredients
Wedge of Light Brie cheese
1/4 Cup pecans, chopped
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon good maple syrup, plus more for drizzling

Directions
Warm up the Brie cheese in the microwave till it is soft. Turn the broiler on. In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, syrup, and pecans. Pour over the warmed cheese. Place it under the broiler for about two minutes or so. Be careful not to burn the nuts. You want to pull it out when it starts to bubble and you can tell the nuts have been toasted. Place on a serving platter and drizzle some more maple syrup on top. Serve with your favorite crackers or apple slices.

Bagels

2010-05-21T10:00:00.000-07:00

I never knew my dog loved bagels so much. I was toasting one one day, and he was proving his name true, Taz. He was going crazy!!! It was no different while I was baking the bagels. He loves carbs just as much as his owner!!!! I had to put him in the backyard so he would stop coming in to the kitchen while I was baking.

Ever since I made pretzels, I have been wanting to make my own bagels. I really enjoyed making these and I appreciated that the rising times were not too long of a duration. I know that I have seen "everything" toppings for bagels in the store, but of course, when I want them, I can not find them. No worries, I used salt and sesame seeds as my toppings. In fact, a salt bagel is my favorite, even over the everything bagel. Not all bagel shops carry them though. I just like that the salt brings out the flavor of what ever kind of spread you use. I will typically get a light veggie spread with tomato slices on a salt bagel. Trust me, you want to try this!!!

I also prepared my own spread for these. I used one log of light cream cheese and I mixed in chives and dill to taste. You can almost do anything you would like. Pimentos, bell peppers, black olives, jalapenos....What ever your little heart desires. Just chop up the ingredient of choice and mix into the softened cream cheese.....voila...you just made your own cream cheese and for probably a lot less than if you bought it from the store.

Bagels
Recipe for Sunday Hotpants
Makes 18-20 bagels
Print recipe

Ingredients

Dough
7 cups flour
1 Tblspn salt
1 1/2 Tbspns active dry yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar, divided
1 Tablespoons oil
2 1/4 Cups warm water, divided
One egg for an egg wash
Your favorite toppings

Boiling Water
2 Tablespoons of sugar
5 teaspoons baking soda

Directions
Place your yeast in a small bowl with roughly half a cup of your water and 1 tspn of your sugar. Set aside until foamy before use, this takes roughly 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer attached with a dough hook, pour in the dry ingredients. Mix the foamy mixture, the remaining warm water, and the sugar with the oil and pour over the dry ingredients. knead for about 7-8 minutes. If your dough seems very dry don’t be afraid to add a small amount of additional liquid. The moisture content of flour can vary. The dough for bagels is not a particularly soft dough however. Form in to a ball and transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for an hour, or until doubled.

Ready to shape
Take a lemon sized piece of dough and shape into a ball - push your finger through the centre to make the hole in the bagel. You need to make the hole a little larger than you think it needs to be because as the dough rises again after shaping the hole, it will be smaller. Place them on a tray, covered with a slightly damp cloth, and let rise for 20 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the sugar and baking soda. Place 2-3 bagels, tops down, in the water and boil for about a minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain them well. Place on a parchment lined tray, brush on the egg wash and sprinkle your favorite toppings. Bake them for about 20 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite spread.

Peanut Butter Cups

2010-05-16T15:26:00.001-07:00

Mmmmmm...peanut butter cups. I don't know anyone who doesn't love a peanut butter cup. My friend Julia and I wanted to have a candy making day. What better candy than peanut butter cups. We both share a passion for peanut butter! I love love love peanut butter!!!!! I always have. I can open the jar and eat it by the spoonful. I pretty much eat it everyday. I now use celery sticks to eat with it so I can think that I am being healthier. At least I am getting a veggie in there....right?? Chocolate has been a long addiction of mine as well. So needless to say, I love this candy!! Yummmmmy.

I was pleasantly surprised that this was so easy to make. I used a paint brush to paint the chocolate up the sides of the liner to get that impression on the candy, this was my favorite part. I have two regrets with our endeavor. One....I didn't make more and 2....I didn't temper the chocolate. Next time I make these, I will definitely do that so the chocolate won't melt in your hand as easily.

The ratio of chocolate to peanut butter was perfect!!! There was enough peanut butter to compliment the chocolate perfectly, kind of like the Reese's Peanut Butter cup. The main difference is the type of chocolate. We used semi sweet chocolate rather than milk. They were not as sweet as the Reese's, which I was pleased with.

Peanut Butter Cups
Makes 24-30 peanut butter cups
Print recipe

Ingredients
mini cupcake liners
12 ounces semi sweet baking chocolate, chopped
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

Directions
Using a double broiler, melt the chopped chocolate, be careful not to burn. While that is melting, line a mini cupcake pan with mini liners. ( We only had one mini pan so we also used 2 large cups ).
Place chopped chocolate in glass bowl and heat over small pot of water (or use a double boiler) until melted.

Fill each of the mini cupcake liners with a teaspoon of the melted chocolate. Use a paint brush to brush the chocolate 3/4 of the way up the sides of the liners. If you don't have a paint brush (we used a cheapy one from a kids watercolor set) then use the back of the spoon to spread chocolate up the liners.

We threw the tin in the freezer for about 15 minutes while we made the peanut butter filling.

Mix the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Roll 1 tsp of the peanut butter mixture into little balls. Roll 24 little balls and 2 large ones (if that is how many cups you are making).
Place 1 peanut butter ball into each chocolate covered liner.

To flatten the top of each ball so the top of the peanut butter cups are flat, not mounded.
Use a spoon to fill the remaining part of the cup with chocolate. You will use about another tsp of chocolate to cover the peanut butter balls. Smooth top with the back of a spoon, and chill for 1 hour or put in the freezer for about 30 minutes.

It's good to keep these chilled until ready to use. The chocolate won't melt at room temperature, but it will be soft.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2010-05-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I adore coffee to the fullest. I love pictures of it, the aroma of it, the taste, all of it!!! A friend of mine even found coffee flavored room aromas! Who knew?! I had to refrain myself from buying it right then. Part of this addiction comes from working at Starbucks for over 8 years. I enjoyed preparing and learning about the bean!! Needless to say, I love anything with coffee in it or that accompanies it well.

I had tried making another coffee cake and was not quite successful. It came out too dry on the top and moist on the bottom...I don't know. I just know that I couldn't stop there. Back to the drawing board.

I got this recipe from Barefoot Contessa. One word: PERFECT! The cake was so moist and delightful. I was curious about the glaze on top. I didn't want too much of the maple syrup pouring through in the flavor. It didn't. It added just the perfect touch. I also liked the amount of streusel inside the cake. It wasn't too much or too little. Just right! ;) I took this to church on Sunday and I swear, I turned my bakc for a few minutes and it was devoured. Yes...it is that good. Try it!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Recipe from Barefoot Contessa
Serves 8-10
Print recipe

Ingredients

Cake:
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Streusel:
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons real maple syrup

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Finish stirring with a spatula to be sure the batter is completely mixed.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the walnuts, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel-side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Penne with Gorgonzola Tomato Sauce

2010-04-29T21:54:00.000-07:00

If you are ever feeling the need of some good comforting food, try this!!! So yummy. I made this on a night that just felt like staying in and being your own date was a great idea. I cracked open a bottle of wine, made the pasta and spent the rest of the night watching a movie. Bliss! I don't eat alot of pasta due to the carb content, however, it is seriously one of my favrite things to eat. Everytime I eat a pasta dish,I just want to curl up and forget about everything. Some would call this a carb coma. haha.

This was a fun dish to make. Not too hard either. I encourage everyone to give it a shot,if you like blue cheese that is. I wanted mine to be a bit spicier so I added some chili to it. If you don't like spicy foods, you don't have to add this. This was made relatively quick as well. By the time the pasta was done cooking, The sauce was complete.

Penne with Gorgonzola Tomato Sauce
Recipe from Framed Recipes
Makes about 4 servings
Print recipe

Ingredients
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Medium onion, chopped
4 Garlic cloves, chopped
1 14 1/2-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained, chopped
1/2 Cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 Cup butter, room temperature
6 Ounce Gorgonzola cheese
1 Pound penne pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese
Chili, diced (optional)

Directions
Heat oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and saute till translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped tomatoes and basil. Cook until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and return to pot.

Using a fork, beat the butter with the Gorgonzola in a small bowl until well blended.

Whisk Gorgonzola mixture into tomato sauce. Add sauce to pasta and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

Butterscotch Pecan Bundt Cake

2010-04-27T21:22:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love butterscotch. This cake needs a big glass of milk, it is that good and rich. I had some pecans saved for a different recipe but decided to throw them in here. I adore pecans. I didn't realize how much until lately. I am also obsessed with bundt cakes. I would enjoy having every shape and form of different pans.

When you incorporate the butterscotch chips, first put them in a small bowl and about a tablespoon of flour. Mix it all around till they are covered. You want to do this to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the bundt, which would actually end up being the top when you flip it over. :) The cream cheese adds a moist texture to the cake. The sweetness from the chips is off balanced well with the pecans. You could also use walnuts. That would be a great alternate.

Butterscotch Pecan Bundt Cake
Makes one bunt cake
Print recipe

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 Package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1 Cup sugar
6 Large eggs
3 Teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 Cups all purpose flour
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Cup Pecans, chopped
1 Cup Butterscotch chips, covered in flour

Directions
PReheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a bundt pan.

Place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugars, increase the speed to high, and beat until light and airy, at least 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating flour and salt all at once. Beat just until incorporated. Fold in the pecans and flour covered butterscotch chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake lightly to even out the top. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a tooth pick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Place the pan on a rack and cool for 20 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

Curried Chicken Salad

2010-04-25T23:37:00.000-07:00

I enjoy curry very much and truth be told, I know very little about it. This is an area that I have not experimented with in the kitchen yet. However, this recipe just seemed to good to be true. This is a very simple recipe. All cooks with all degrees of experience can tackle this. I think that is one of the reasons I love it so much. I spend hours on end in the kitchen and sometimes it is nice to prepare a meal that tastes like I slaved all day on it.

I used light mayonnaise in the recipe to lower the calorie content. I know I don't bake healthy, but I do try and cook healthier. :) I had left over dressing that I didn't use. That will depend on your preference. I tasted as I went and determined how much was suitable for my desire. I love the crunch from the celery and cashews. I am such a texture eater and this was definitely a party in my mouth.

Curried Chicken Salad
Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Print recipe
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
4 Chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Cup light mayonnaise
1/3 Cup dry white wine
1/4 Cup Chutney
3 Tablespoons curry powder
1 Cup medium diced celery
1/4 Cup chopped scallions, white and green parts (2 scallions)
1/4 Cup raisins
1 Cup whole roasted, salted cashews

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the heat form the bones, discard the skin, and dice the chicken into large bite-size pieces.

For the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth.

Combine the chicken with enough dressing to moisten well. Add the celery, scallions, and raisins and mix well. Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Add the cashes and serve at room temperature.

Too bad this is not a scratch and sniff picture!

Brioche

2010-04-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been extremely interested in making doughs for different kinds of breads. I think it is the rising part that just draws me in! A couple of hours later, voila! The dough has transformed into something larger. :) I also love home made bread. The aroma wafting through the whole house is divine! There is something about it that just makes your home feel more inviting. Have you seen the movie Clueless?? Remember the part when she has a date coming over to the house and she wants to make it seem more cozy, she tries and bakes cookies. Unfortunately she puts the whole log in the oven and it burns. I love that part!

Making brioche was not the hardest thing nor was it the easiest thing in the world. You definitely need time and patience. My mixer was getting warm from beating the dough for long intervals and it was sliding across the counter. Actually, I kind of laughed at that. hehe. My biggest tips are to follow the recipe and just trust in it. It will turn out. Also, don't skimp on the beating time!!! That is important. If you have to give your stand mixer a rest, do so, but continue soon.

Some of the different types of things you can make with brioche are: loaves, french toast, pecan sticky buns, brioche pockets stuffed with mashed potatoes, goat cheese and asparagus tips. Brioche is a cross between bread and pastry, so you can get creative with it.

Brioche
Recipe from Baking With Julia contributed by Nancy Silverton
Print Recipe
Makes about 2 1/2 pounds of dough

Ingredients

The Sponge
1/3 Cup warm whole milk
2 1/4 Teaspoons active dry yeast
1 Large egg
2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour

The Dough
1/3 cup sugar
1 Teaspoon Kosher salt
4 Large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions

The Sponge

In a mixer, mix the milk, yeast, egg and 1 cup of the flour, just till everything is combined. Sprinkle the remaining flour to cover the sponge. Set it aside, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes. The flour should look cracked.

The Dough

Add sugar, salt, eggs and 1 cup of flour to the sponge. With the dough hook, mix on low speed for a minute or two. Still mixing, sprinkle 1/2 cup more flour. Once incorporated, beat on medium speed for about 15 minutes. Scrape bowl as needed. During this time, the dough should wrap around the hook and slap the sides of the bowl. If after 7 minutes you don't have a cohesive, slapping dough, add up to 5 tablespoons of flour.

With the mixer on medium-low, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time. It will look like you have mad a huge mistake because the dough will start to fall apart, keep going. Once all the butter is added, raise the speed to medium-high for a minute. Then reduce the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. If the dough does not come together, add 1 tablespoon of flour.

First Rise

Transfer the dough to a very large buttered bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let it rise in room temperature for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Second Rise and Chilling

Deflate the dough by placing your fingers under it, lifting a section of dough, and then letting it fall back into the bowl. Work your way around the circumference of the dough, lifting and releasing. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate dough for at least 4 to 6 hours or over night.

It is now ready to use in any brioche recipe. If you want to store the dough, wrap it airtight and freeze it. It can remain frozen for up to one month. When defrosting, leave in the refrigerator over night.

** Pic of the sponge sprinkled with flour after 40 minutes.

Citrus Madeleines

2010-04-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

Starbucks has really gotten me addicted to madeleines. Ever since I fell in love with the texutre of these delightful cookies, I have been dying to make them. I had a pan packed away somewhere and just came across it the other day!!! Watch out! I am getting in the kitchen!

I decided to do a citrus version. I definitely have a soft spot in my heart for citrus cakes. Which is exaclty what a madeleine is, a cross between a cake and a cookie. This recipe, in my opinion, leans more towards a cake texture. The next one I try will defintiely be coming from Julia Child, the master of cooking.

These were so fun to make. They bake and cool very quickly. My eyes went very big with excitment every time a new batch was complete.

Citrus Madeleines
Recipe from My Kitchen Snippets
Makes about 24 cookies
Print Recipe

Ingredients
1 Cup sifted cake flour
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2/3 Cup sugar
1 Tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 Tablespoon finely grated orange zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 Cup unsalted butter

Directions
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.

Put eggs, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, and zests in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high until pale and thickened, about 5 minutes. Mix in butter. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into egg mixture. Let batter rest 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter two Madeleine pan (not necessary if they are non-stick).

Spoon batter into prepared pans, filling the molds three-quarters full. Bake and rotating pans halfway through, until edges are crisp and golden will take about 7-8 minutes. Let it cool slightly in pans on wire racks. Invert, and un-mold. Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.

Have fun!

Spinach Cottage Cheese Omelette

2010-04-13T12:32:00.000-07:00

My friend Julia never lets anything go to waste in the kitchen. Such a good inspiration for me. Recipes can get quite creative here. I had some cottage cheese that needed to be used before it went bad. So the search began. I took the day off work and decided, an omelette sounds wonderful today. How can I incorporate cottage cheese in to that? By putting it right in the omelette!!! That is how.

The cottage cheese provided a creaminess to the eggs without using cream or butter. As I was devouring this little gem, I was so happy! The spinach had a very vibrant taste from sauteing it in the olive oil first and the parmesan cheese just added that little bit of sharpness to just balance everything out. And let's just admit it, we eat with our eyes as well and the green from the spinach was a gorgeous color!

I have a little confession to make, this was my first omelette I have ever made. Sad, I know! If I looked at a recipe for an omelette, I was the master at turning it into a scramble. The art of mastering a perfect omelette intimidated me. However, for all you fearful's like me, fear no more! This was so simple. I do believe that the key to success here is speed. I prepared all of my ingredients in bowls on the side of the stove and with my heat proof spatula in hand, I was ready to rumble!!!!

Spinach Cottage Cheese Omelette
Recipe from Sweet & Saucy
Makes one serving
Print Recipe

Ingredients
3 large egg whites
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup packed baby spinach
1/4 cup cottage cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites and 1 tablespoon of water. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook until it is wilted and tender (1 minute). Add the egg whites and cook until they are nearly set, using a flexible heatproof spatula to lift the edges of the omelet to let the uncooked whites run underneath.

Once the eggs are cooked (about 2 minutes), dollop the cottage cheese on top of the omelet, sprinkle it with the Parmesan, and seasoned again with salt and pepper. Slide it gently onto a serving plate, folding it over itself by tipping the skillet.

Voila! An omelette!!

Peanut Butter Soup

2010-04-12T00:14:00.000-07:00

When contemplating a different kind of peanut butter recipe, I ventured in to soups. Everyone has a strong opinion about this and it is either really good or really bad. I got comments stemming from "ohhh..that sounds delicious," to "That sounds disgusting." Haha, none the less, it gave me a challenge that I gladly took. I was not sure how this was going to turn out. I was skeptical. After devouring a whole bowl, I was going back to get seconds.

This soup is very rich. I would recommend it as an appetizer rather than a main course. Also, if you are on a calorie counting diet, you might want to steer clear. All the peanut butter lovers.....grab a spoon!

Peanut Butter Soup
Recipe adapted from Peanut Butter Lovers
Makes about 4 servings
Print Recipe

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons grated onion
1 Celery branch, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons flour
3 Cups chicken broth
1/2 Cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 Cup half and half

Directions
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; add onion and celery. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add flour and mix until well blended. Stir in chicken broth and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, strain broth. Stir in the peanut butter, salt and cream into the strained broth until well mixed. Serve hot.

DDL Duos

2010-03-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Dulce de Leche recipes everywhere. Since I have never had DDL, it was starting to intrigue me immensely. Hmmmm....time to get daring. I started with something simple....cookies. Truth be told, I was practically salivating at the recipe. The DDL oozing from the cookie sandwich. Oh yeah, I was anticipating this for a few days.

I have gotten a few different commentaries on them. One being that the taste resembled snicker-doodles, which is kind of odd. The other being that it tasted like caramel. It does. Not as forthcoming as caramel. It is a bit more on the sweet side where as I view caramel to have a savory side as well as a sweet.

A couple of things I learned. The parchment paper was a blessing!!! No clean up on the cookie sheets. DONE! ;) The second is, my cookies came out very irregular in shape. If you have a small ice cream scooper, that might just do the trick. This way they are uniform for the sandwich making process. Another thing I learned, separate the layers of cookies with parchment paper when storing. This will prevent them from sticking together. Also, they do burn quickly, so don't leave them.

Recipe
From Beansy Loves Cakes
Print Recipe
Makes about 30 sandwiches

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Dulce de Leche
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Preparation
Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft. Add the 3/4 cup of dulce de leche and both sugars and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Don't be concerned if the mixture looks a little curdled- it will smooth out when the flour mixture goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear into the batter.

Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets, using a heaping teaspoon of dough for each cookie and leaving 2 inches between them.

Bake the cookies 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front the back at the midway point. The cookies should be honey brown with a light sugar crust, but they will still be soft, so remove the sheets from the oven but don't touch the cookies for another minute or two. Then, using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure you cool the baking sheets before spooning the dough onto them.
When the cookies are completely cool, spread the flat bottoms of half the cookies with a small amount of dulce de leche, and sandwich with the flat sides of the remaining cookies.

Flank Steak

2010-03-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

My Doctor asked me if I was a vegetarian. No, not really. I just choose vegetables over meat unintentionally. He advised that I need more protein. So what do I do.....I cook a STEAK!!!! Doctor's orders!! Haha. I haven't had red meat in so long, I was salivating while it was in the oven broiling. I was lucky enough to have some left over mashed potatoes in the fridge to have the traditional meat and potato dinner.

This recipe is done with the broiler. You can opt to use the grill. I went with the broiler to show that you can have a steak with a grill flare any day of the year. With the rack in the oven as close as possible to the broiler, this will add some nice charring, which I love.

My dad was the first one to try the steak. He was impressed with how tender it was, being that it is flank and not a different cut. I have to agree with him. It was tender and juicy. It has a subtle hint of a teriyaki taste. The ease of making it was definitely an additional perk to this dish. Anyone can do it. Cooking time took under ten minutes. The hardest part of all...letting the steak sit when it is done cooking. You do this so the juices keep the meat tender. If it is cut in to too early, all of the juices will flow and you will be left with a dryer piece of meat. So have patience, not one of my best qualities, and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

Recipe
Makes about 4 servings
From
Print Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 to 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2- 2 lbs flank steak

Preparation
Combine all the marinade ingredients except the steaks in a large freezer bag and mix well. Add the steak and seal. Let marinade in the refrigerator for about 24 hours.

Cook
Move the rack in the oven to the top and turn the broiler on. Once it is at peak temperature in the oven, add the steak. Broil on each side about 4 minutes each. Keep a close eye on it, you don't want to over cook. Remove from the oven once completely cooked and cover it in foil for about 5 minutes. With a sharp knife, cut against the grain and serve.

Too bad this is not a scratch and sniff picture. ;)

Dulce de Leche

2010-03-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

If I could sum this up in one word it would be....WOA!!!!! Such a wonderful treat. So creamy and sweet. MMmmmmmm. I have been researching ways to make DDL when I cam across this sweet little way. Many people were trying the crock pot method. THe advantage here is, as always with a crock pot, fix it and forget it! There are stove top recipes, however they take roughly 3 hours to make and you can not leave it, you have to watch it.

I was skeptical at first and extremely nervous. Putting cans into a crock pot??? Won't they explode???? I thought I would wake up to a large gun fire sound and then have a heart attack. But that didn't happen! I started cooking them at 9 pm and woke up at 5 am to stop the cooking process.

I did some more research and read some do's and don'ts. Very helpful!!! Do not open the cans while they are still hot, it will splatter all over everything from the pressure in the can. The cans might rust, so to prevent rust on your crock pot, line the bottom of it with tin foil. That worked wonderfully. I have a picture on the bottom to show what it looked like after being in there for 8 hours.

Recipe
Line the bottom of the crock pot with tin foil. Place two cans of sweetened condensed milk, with labels removed, on the tin foil. Turn the crock pot on low and cook for 8 hours. Let it cool, then open and enjoy.

Carrot Cake Whoopie Pies

2010-03-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

I am obsessed with whoopie pies right now. Corner Bakery has this peanut butter one that is so rich and delicious, I crave it. A friend of mine said that he thought I was making the name up. I mean really, what is a whoopie pie?! Good question. It is a spin off of the Oreo, but in a cake version. Recipes just flourish from there. Peanut butter, carrot cake, red velvet cake, lemon, etc... These are just simply so fun! Basically a cake that you can eat just with your hands and not get messy becuase the frosting is on the inside!!! Lovely!! I am all over this one.

This recipe stuck out at me as I have also been wanting to make a carrot cake as of late. Done and done! There is one problem I found wiht the recipe. It took twice as long to actually bake than stated. It is possible that I put too much in to each muffin cup, I tend to get excited sometimes and over fill. What I ended up doing was cutting them in half and filling them. :) Please let me know your findings if you try this.

Recipe
Recipe from Grin and Bake It
Made about 24
Print Recipe

Carrot Cake:
2 cups All-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
¼ tsp all-spice
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1¾ c. dark brown sugar (You can substitute with light brown sugar)
11 oz grated carrots
¾ c raisins
Optional: 3 oz chopped walnuts (to decorate).

Cream Cheese Icing:
3 oz cream cheese
3 oz softened butter
4 1/2 oz confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used 1 tsp)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 F. Boil carrots for 5 minutes to soften. Mix all dry ingredients and set aside. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the oil, vanilla and brown sugar. In a food processor, add the cooked carrots and raisins and puree.

Add the pureed mixture into the oil and sugar and mix well. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix only until combined. Do not over-mix.

Prepare regular sized muffin pans. Spray well with non-stick spray. Pour your mixture (about 1 rounded TBS into each space) and spread batter evenly. Do not fill these too high. You want them to bake fairly flat. If they do bake too high, use a serrated knife to trim down before assembling whoopie pies. Bake for 14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from pans.

Cream cheese frosting:
Beat the cream cheese and butter until combined. Add the vanilla extract and the confectioners sugar. Turn into a piping bag.

Assemble:
Pipe frosting on top of half of the baked cakes. Top with cream cheese frosting. Top with another carrot cake bite to make a sandwich. To decorate, press down slightly so some of the icing peeks out from the sides, now roll in chopped walnuts if using or coconut or whatever you wish to decorate.Chill your Whoopies or serve at room temperature (your preference).

One of the girls at work said it well, they are whoopie-licious. Enjoy! :)

Choices

2010-03-20T15:51:00.000-07:00

I can count on two hands how many people in my life know the details of what I am about to divulge. However, this has been on my heart for a few months now to share my story. I know my blog is mostly about food but this will hopefully let you understand me a bit better.

I had been sick for a few days. I couldn't quite explain it to anyone, I just simply did not feel well. I missed work for a few days, laid in bed and just could not move. On December 04, 2008, My mom came in to my room to check on me. An hour later, my grandma and mom were rushing me to the ER. I was in so much pain, I could not walk and could barely speak. I had a sore that was manifesting in to something large. However, I was too sick to even put two and two together. My mom knew though.

When I got a room and some tests were run....two things were happening here. 1) I am type 1 Diabetic and 2) I am suffering from MRSA. A lot is about to happen right now. Three different doctors at different times advised my mom that within hours she would have found me in one of two states, either dead or in a coma. All our hearts sank and we fought the tears every time we heard this. To this day, I can not believe that was said!!!

The infection has taken a large toll on my body and I have to be rushed in to surgery. The OR was booked for about another two hours. My mom, knowing it was going to be a long haul, went home, to get a couple of things and come back. While she was gone, the Doctor came in and said "Sweetie, we have to go now." "But I can't go, my mom is not here." " I know sweetie, but we have to go." "You are early! You said two hours! Please, let's wait." "I am sorry, we can't." What the hell??!! He said two hours!! The flood gates are pouring. This could be it! I could die and never see my family again. My thoughts are running wild. I am alone. I am scared.

After surgery, I stay in the hospital for a few more days so they can watch me. When I finally went home, it took me a month to recover. I couldn't walk for over two weeks. The pain and medication put me in to a daze. I can not recall too much of what happened during those two weeks. Except for this. Every two days, I had to go to the Doctor so he can re pack my wound. Remember, this is an infection, there were no stitches involved so it can continue to drain. This was the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life. No matter how much vicodin was in my system, I felt every part of that. I have passed a few kidney stones in my life, nothing compares to this! I know pain, and this was the monster of all pains and it happened 2-3 times a week.

A month goes by, I go back to work. Through 2009, I have had many "episodes" as I like to call them. I have seen A LOT of Doctors and they all have the same answer. They are sorry that they can not help me. WHAT?!!! You are a Doctor. Fix me! I have been in and out of the ER just for a morphine cocktail as the pain with each one is intense.

MRSA is a new strand of the staph infection that has only surfaced in the last 5 years. There is no cure. I have taken all kinds of antibiotics and not a single one works better than the other. They put you on an IV and just pump your body full of them and you pray while you are in isolation. MRSA has attacked my body by eating my skin. It literally starts eating it away from the top layer down and it spreads extremely easily. I encourage you to look at pictures on the internet, however, I will not post any, since this is a food blog...sick! Haha.

MRSA is spreading! A close friend of mine was also faced with it. I have not had another "episode" for 7 months now. When I was deciding on to start school or not to start school, I was told by everyone that knew....don't do it. HA! Obviously they don't know me well enough. I am doing it!!! NIKE!

I live my life differently and cautiously. I have finally figured out where I was catching this.....at the gym! I canceled my membership! Along with that, I carry an emergency Rx for an antibiotic, I take my pills for my diabetes at breakfast and dinner, I inject myself every night with insulin, and I eat well balanced meals. Since I have a weaker immune system than most, I choose to take care of my body in the hopes that it can fight for itself when nothing else will help.

There are two reasons why I am writing this. During this time, I have been in two serious relationships. One of them did not respond well to this. It was awkward. But I will always tell the one that I am with that this is me, and it could happen again, and I need you to know. He simply was not educated on it and he was scared. I understand. We talked more about it, he did a little research, and was more at peace with it. So the first and foremost is, I believe that this is spreading so widely and it should be known! Oprah and Dr. Oz have been doing shows on it lately. If they say it, it must be true, right?! ;)

The second reason I am saying this is, I know that I do not bake with a healthy intent. I just don't. I love to bake with butter and chocolate and creams. WIth that being said, I believe in balance and being educated about what you are putting in your body. These are tough choices, I know! Believe me, I know! But it is a choice. I see many that are close to me who may not feel as strongly about this as I do. I bake and take portions that are suitable for me. I encourage you to make choices.

Banana Muffins with Mascarpone Cream Frosting

2010-03-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

What muffins have frosting on them? These babies should be cupcakes! But no matter what they are called, they are simply scrumptious. The consistency of the cake is dense like a muffin. One of the pros a friend liked about them is that they do not crumble, but remain moist and no crumbs are left behind. I adore toasted nuts. It brings out the flavor and can add so much to a dish versus raw nuts. I used Pecans in my recipe, not walnuts.

I have to be honest and say that I attempted the frosting three times, that's right....three! I preferred to use the butter and mascarpone rather than add the cream cheese. Big mistake. For whatever reason, the butter seems to draw all the moisture out of the mascarpone and almost curd it. It did not look appetizing. The first time this happened, I thought it was something I did wrong. So I made another trip to the store, got home, tried it again. Nope, not gonna happen! Now I am frustrated because I have to make yet another trip to the store!!! Okay, this time, we are going to do it with the cream cheese. Let me tell you, do not make my mistake, add the cream cheese. It adds so much and compliments all of the other flavors, I was actually very happy that my last two attempts had failed. Enjoy!

Recipe
Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Makes about 18 muffins
Print Recipe

Muffins:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

Frosting:
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperatutre
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl to blend. Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the banana. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out with no crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly. The muffins may be eaten warm or cooled completely and frosted.

To frost the cupcakes: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone cheese and then beat in the honey. Spread the frosting over the muffins. Sprinkle with the walnuts.

Vegetarian Potstickers

2010-03-07T18:29:00.000-08:00

Since I made sweet potato mascarpone raviolis, I wanted to try a different type of ravioli, per say. I came across a recipe for a vegetarian gyoza. Now this recipe used tempeh. I wasn't even sure what that was and had to google it. Basically it is made up of soy beans. Since I wouldn't even know where to buy tempeh, I decided to go with tofu, since it is also made from soy beans. I adore tofu. I think it has so many great qualities and is an alternative source of protein to meat. I find myself veering towards eating vegetarian. I have nothing against meat, I really like it, but I get more excited about the different colors, taste and texture in vegetables. It seems to overpower my urge to use meat in recipes.

A few of the great qualities to tofu is that it is inexpensive and will take on whatever flavor you want it to. With that being said, I left the tofu mixture sit in the sherry and soy sauce for a few minutes before cooking the pot stickers. I did attempt to crimp them, but let's just say, I preferred just folding the wontan wrapper. ;) I will warn you, tofu is an acquired texture for sure. I appreciate the texture but I know many people that are not fans. You never know till you try....

Recipe
Adapted from Herbivoracious
Makes about 48 potstickers

Potstickers:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound extra firm tofu, cut in to thin slabs
6 green onions, white and green parts, minced
4 teaspoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
48 wonton wrappers

Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, with a tight-fitting lid, over a medium-high flame. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Fry the tofu in a single layer, working in batches if needed, until golden brown on both sides. Set aside to cool. Fry the cabbage for a few minutes until browned and most water removed. Turn off the heat.

Thoroughly crumble the tofu into a bowl. Combine it with the cabbage, green onions, sherry and soy sauce. Taste and adjust salt as needed. You can also add more sherry or soy, but don't make it too wet. When you are satisfied with the taste, sprinkle in the cornstarch and toss thoroughly to combine. (This will absorb any water released when the dumplings are cooked).

To form the potsticker dumplings, take one wrapper and moisten the entire edge with a fingertip or pastry brush dipped in water. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center. Pick it up, fold in half, and seal the edge. Crimp if you like.

To cook the potstickers, heat that big skillet back up again to medium-high and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Put the potstickers in in a single layer, flat side down, not touching but they can be close. Fry 1-2 minutes until they are dark golden brown on the bottom. Add 1/3 cup of water and cover the pan. Cook about 3 minutes. Remove the lid and keep cooking until the water is totally gone - otherwise they won't be crispy.

Serve hot, with soy sauce.

Sweet Potato Mascarpone Ravioli

2010-03-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

My friend Julia and I have been salivating at this dish for a week. We decided to get together and make them so we could devour each and every one, or at least we would try. ;) This was my first attempt at making ravioli's. To save some time, we decided to use wonton wrappers. Although it was still tasty, pasta dough would be better. Every bite we took was silent except for the word....mmmmmmmmmm. Seriously! Our eyes were rolling back into our heads.

There were a couple of reasons why this recipe had me so intrigued. The first being that it is made with browned butter. It has always intimidated me so I have never attempted it. No need to be intimidated, it was easy. The sage also hooked me. There is a restaurant called Pomodoro in Laguna Beach. They have an apetizer dish with browned butter and sage raviolis. Everytime I go, I have to have it.

Below is a picture of the yummy middle. I don't even think we needed ravioli's, just pass us a spoon.

Recipe Adapted from the Foodess
Ravioli Recipe
Serves 4-6
2 cups mashed sweet potato (about 2 sweet potatoes)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large onion, minced
2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, minced
4 oz mascarpone
salt and pepper, to taste

Brown Butter Sauce
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Garnish
Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional
Chopped sage
chopped basil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the sweet potato in half and drizzle with olive oil. Place flesh side down on baking sheet, and bake until very soft, about 40minutes.

In a pan over the stove, toast the pecans and put aside in a bowl. In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onion with the sage until soft and golden. Add the sweet potato and mash together. Allow to cool slightly then add the masacarpone and combine. Season wiht salt and pepper.

Drop small spoonfulls of the mix on to the wonton. Dampen the corners of the wonton and fold into a triangle. Dampen the outside of the wonton to seal it. Press the pasta down about to spread it through out the wonton.

Drop the ravioli into a pot of gently boiling water and cook until they are tender, and rise to the surface (about 30 seconds).

Heat the butter and pecans in a pan over medium heat until butter browns. Add broth and remove from heat. Plate the Ravioli's and drizzle with browned butter and top with sage,, basil and parmesan.

Soft Pretzels

2010-03-02T11:49:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't love bread with huge chunks of salt on them??? I crave the salt on soft pretzels. They can come in any form and flavor as well. So diverse, yet just about everyone has tried one at least once in their life. My favorite type is just a plain one with lots of salt and mustard to dip it in. A friend of mine and I got together on the rainy Saturday and had a blast! You should have seen our faces as we watched the dough float to the top of the water and when they came out of the oven so perfectly brown. MMM.... We couldn't resist just pulling the pretzel bites from the baking sheet and practiacally still in the oven. Yes, we are complete nerds when it comes to food! We can not help ourselves. :)

Recipe
makes 8 large pretzels or 120 nuggets
Recipe by Fat Girl Trapped In A Skinny Body

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and flours and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites.
*We made 4 pretzels and used the remaining 4 sections to make pretzel bites.

Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the rock salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Dip in mustard, marinara sauce or a cheese sauce. Or just eat them plain and enjoy the taste of the yummy rock salt on the top.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

Since I did not have a romantic Valentine this year, I decided to make a special dessert to bless the family with. Everyone loves dessert! Being the big heart day, it had to consist of chocolate, the ultimate romantic flavor. Looking through my cookbooks, I came across a recipe for Buche de Noel. The name actually means "yule log" and is typically a dessert enjoyed during Christmas in France, but who cares, it has CHOCOLATE!!!!!! :) I have been wanting to make a rolled cake for some time now. It is usually adorned with berries and some sort of twigs for the festive holidays. I wish I was a bit more prepared, I would have sprinkled mine with candied hearts.

This took me awhile to make and in the end, I was pretty much covered in chocolate, while I was wearing white...fun!

The cake is very spongy and light while the chocolate buttercream is not overwhelming, but just a perfect amount of chocolate. This would go great with a cup of coffee, but some would argue that I am biased on that. :)

Buche de Noel

For Vanilla Sponge Cake

2/3 cup cake flour

Pinch of salt

4 large eggs, seperated plus 1 large yolk at room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the rum cake syrup

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

4 teaspoons of dark rum ** Not everyone in my family drinks, so I stayed away from this part

For the chocolate butter cream

3 cold large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup of water

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 10 pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 oz semisweet chocolate, melted

For the chocolate curls

4 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

Sponge Sheet Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 10 x 15 x 1, then line it with parchment paper and butter the paper and dust with flour.

Sift the flour and salt into a small bowl. Beat the 5 egg yolks and 1/3 cup of the sugar on medium high speed until the batter is thickened and lightened to a light mustard color. ** I found that a hand held mixer worked a lot better than my stand mixer. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium high speed till soft peaks are formed. Then add the other 1/3 cup of sugar slowly to the mixture. Once you have added all the sugar, continue to beat for another minute. Firm peaks should be formed now.

Using a spatula, pile about 1/3 of the egg whites on top of the yolk mixture and fold in. Be careful not to over mix. You want to keep the consistency as much as possible. This will give you the spongy effect in the cake. Then fold in the flour mixture in 4 additions.

Pour the cake into the prepared pan. Use the spatula to scrape every last bit from the bowl and smooth out the surface. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until a toothpick is pulled out completely. Leave on the sheet pan and place on a wire rack to cool for about 25 minutes.

** To prevent a sheet cake from sticking to the sides of the pan, run your finger around the edge to help the batter from adhering to the sides during baking.

Chocolate ButterCream Frosting

To make the cake syrup, place the water and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat for about 2-3 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the syrup for the buttercream, in a stand mixer with the whisk, blend the egg whites and the cream of tartar till the tartar dissolves. Set the bowl aside. In a small, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine 2/3 cup sugar, the water and the corn syrup. Cover the pan, place over low heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Uncover, raise the heat to high and let the syrup bubble vigorously without stirring, until it is smooth and thick and reads 240 F on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

With the mixer on medium high speed, add the butter to the egg white mixture, one at a time, after the previous butter has been incorporated. Then add the vanilla extract and melted chocolate and beat until combined. The buttercream should be soft enough to spread, but not pour.

Using a pastry brush, spread 2/3 of the cake syrup across the top. Then use 2 cups of the chocolate buttercream on top of the cake. Resist the urge to use more, this will make it harder to roll. Start rolling the cake tightly, as if you were rolling up a sleeping bag. Cut off a corner of the cake and mount it on top of the log with some of the cake syrup and buttercream. Spread the rest of the cake syrup on the top of the log. Use the remaining of the buttercream to cover the log. Shave the 4 oz chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler and with a spoon, your fingers will melt the chocolate, sprinkle the shavings on top of the log.

I know this picture is not too appetizing. I promise to work on my camera taking abilities!!

Recipe by Williams-Sonoma

Artichoke Bread

2010-02-06T13:01:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite dips is a hot artichoke cheese dip. A friend and I have been talking about this recipe for some time and how delicious it looks. Neither one of us had tried it yet. She finally went home that night and made a similar version and couldn't help but rub it in my face on how good it was. Needless to say, I ditched school the next night and was in the kitchen! Basically, a very similar idea to the dip. The crunchiness of the bread, the artichokes, the melted cheese.....delightful! I wanted to eat the whole thing. My cousin came over for dinner and was on cloud 9 right with me. The only person who did not just buckle at the knees while eating this was a person who doesn't enjoy artichokes. I guess that would have to be key in liking the bread. ;) I ate this as my main course for dinner, but it would be a great idea for an appetizer. Ditching school paid off!

Artichoke Bread

makes one loaf

1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

2 green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 4oz package cram cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mozzarella, grated

1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated

1 loaf italian bread, sliced in half lengthwise

Mix the artichoke hearts, green onions, garlic, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano reserving some of the cheese.

Hollow 1/2 an inch out of the center of both halves of the bread. Spread the mixture into the hole in the bread slices and top with the reserved cheese. Bake in a preheated 350F oven covered in foil for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

* I tried to make this a tiny bit healthier by using light mayonnaise and sour cream. You don't even notice the difference. All of the cheese takes care of most of the flavor there!

* I also used more cheese than stated. I just used my judgement. I don't think you can go wrong with cheese.

* My cheese wouldn't brown when I took the foil off so I through it under the broiler and that got the job done.

Recipe inspired by Closet Cook

Roasted Artichoke Salad

2010-01-31T11:37:00.000-08:00

Artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables. Throw them in a salad, steam them with a dip, fry them up drizzled with some olive oil. MMMMMMM. I don't know too many people who have a distaste for this vegetable.

One thing I need to warn you about with this dish....it is pricey! My only regret is that I should have cut the recipe in half. The recipe serves 6. I was eating off of it all week. haha. Other than that.....no complaints.

4 9 ounce boxes frozen artichokes, defrosted

Good Olive il

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 shallot, minced

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

5 tablespoons white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar, divided

1/2 cup copped fresh basil leaves

6 tablespoons capers, drained

2 jars roasted red peppers, sliced thin

1/2 cup minced red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 pinches hot red pepper flakes, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Place the artichoke hearts in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss until the artichoke hearts are coated. Dump the artichoke hearts onto a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Place the minced shallot, lemon juice, mustard, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 5 seconds. Add the basil leaves and process into a green puree. With the processor running, slowly pour 1/2 cup olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube until the ingredients are finely pureed. Set aside.

Place the roasted artichoke hearts in a bowl and toss with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Add the capers, red peppers, red onion, parsley, 4 tablespoons vinegar and red pepper flakes, if using, and toss gently. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and let stand for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

* I didn't have any Dijon Mustard so I used regular yellow mustard.

* Taste the puree after you make it. You will be able to seek out those shallots.

Recipe from Ina Garten

Peanut Swirl Brownies

2010-01-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

These are simply divine!! I don't think there is too much better than melting chocolate and butter together. I was in such heaven! I had to resist from just turning up the bowl of heaven and drinking it. These brownies are rich, so they are best accompanied by a glass of milk or a cup of coffee, (of course I prefer the coffee). The peanut butter is not overpowering in the brownies at all. For those who do not care for that taste as much, don't shy away from this, you won't regret it. The coffee really brings out the chocolate.

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1 1/2" sheet pan.
Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. (This is a double boiler) Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the remaining 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of the flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the prepared pan. Spoon the peanut butter over the top of the chocolate mixture and using a knife, swirl it through the chocolate mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes more or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake! Allow to cool, refrigerate and cut into squares.

** I actually put my batter into two 9 x 13 pans. So my brownies were a bit thinner.
** The rapping on the oven is highly important. No one wants a plate of crumble brownies for dessert.

Below is a picture of my brownies.

Oops....sorry. They were so good, they were devoured by the time I got home. IOU a pic. :)

Recipe from Ina Garten.