Aztec Brownies

I love sweet and spicy together and I love the combo of chocolate and cinnamon. These brownies fulfill all of those cravings.

If you don't like spicy foods, feel free to omit the cayenne. If you love, love, love spicy sweets, add an extra teaspoon. One teaspoon is enough to create a little bit of heat that builds as you eat but it's not so spicy that it becomes the focal point (or keeps you from eating more than is good for you, darn it.)

Ingredients

8 ounces of good-quality chocolate, chopped (try it with milk chocolate, try it with dark. Both are different and both are good.)
2 sticks of butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup of sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour (I use whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

How To

Grease a brownie pan and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Begin by beating together the eggs, sugar, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne and salt for about 5 minutes.

Melt the butter slowly over low heat. Once the butter is completely liquidated, pour over the chopped chocolate to melt.

Stir the chocolate and butter together. This is an easy way to both melt the chocolate and cool the butter.

Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture slowly, mixing very well. Lastly, add the flour and baking powder, mixing until just combined. Spread in your brownie pan:

Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Look at the nice crackly top crust on this bad-boy:

You can either leave well enough alone, or you can sprinkle the top with additional chocolate while the brownies are hot.

Let the heat of the brownies melt the chocolate, then spread across the top with the back of a spoon. Num.

One last brownie beauty shot:

Patrick needs to take these to work tomorrow. I'm not to be trusted alone with them in the house!

Blueberry Something

I love blueberries. Love, love, love. I go through 2-3 bags of frozen blueberries a week. I know! It's excessive. You don't even want to know what I do when blueberries are fresh and cheap.

Lately, I've been craving blueberries baked with oats in layers-- a cookie-like bottom, lots of fruit in the middle, and a crumbly top. I got the top two layers right here but will keep working with the bottom layer-- this was less like a cookie and more like the richest, most flavorful oatmeal you've ever had. My final result was more "scoop" than "slice" but I will most definitely be making this for special brunches in the future and as a healthy (seeming) dessert.

Ingredients
4 cups of frozen blueberries, thawed and drained with the juice reserved
about 2 tablespoons agave nectar (you could use honey or maple syrup instead)
2 cups of oats
3/4 cup of flour
1/2 cup sugar (I used evaporate cane juice here)
1/2 cup butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

How To

Combine the oats, flour, sugar, vanilla extract and butter. Work with either your hands or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter. I prefer using my hands.

Pour half of the mixture into the bottom of a pie pan and flatten with the bottom of a glass:

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While the bottom layer bakes, take the juice from the blueberries, almond extract and agave nectar. If your berries a especially tart, you may need to add additional agave nectar. Taste and see. Pour into a shallow sauce pan and reduce the juices to make a thick sauce that coats the back of a spoon. Pour this sauce over the blueberries.

Once the bottom layer has baked, pour the blueberries in and spread them out:

Add the brown sugar to the second half of the oat/flour mixture and pour over the berries:


Return to the oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the berries are bubbling and the top crust is golden brown.

I think the next time I try this, I'll up the flour in the bottom layer, add a little leavening and extend the first baking time. I'll keep you updated! Gotta go now, the leftovers are calling...

Sweet Cuppin' Cakes

There's nothing quite like following up a post about having to cut sugar out of my diet with a post about delicious cupcakes. I made these for an agra hadig being thrown in honor of my niece this afternoon.

Wanna hear a terrible secret? When I'm baking lots of cupcakes, I use recipes from the Cake Mix Doctor. That's right, I use cake mix. Does that make me a bad person? More practical than purist, I suppose.

First, I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes. I use the Cake Mix Doctor's chocolate cupcake recipe and Ina Garten's peanut butter frosting recipe. I then topped each cupcake with a miniature peanut butter cup from Trader Joe's.

Then, I made Lemon White Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling and Lemon Buttercream Frosting. I used the Cake Mix Doctor's lemon lovers' white chocolate cake recipe, then used a special tool to fill each cupcake with a bit of raspberry jam. I then topped it with a lemon version of my mom's buttercream frosting recipe and a fresh raspberry.

Apple Crumble

I'm not a huge pie person. I guess I've had too many wooden pie crusts that left me wary. Besides, the star of any pie is the filling, right? I'd rather have a big portion of lovely fruit with a crunchy salty-sweet topping any day. Besides, then you don't have to feel guilty about pairing this with some vanilla ice cream. Yum.

Ingredients
For the filling:
6 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped into large chunks (I like to use granny smiths)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter, melted

For the topping:
3/4 cup old-fashioned oat meal
2 tablespoons flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of cold butter

How To
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients for the filling and mix well, then pour into a pie dish. Place in the oven and let bake for 15-20 minutes or until the apples begin to soften and become fragrant.

While the apples bake, combine all of the ingredients for the topping, save for the butter. Combine very well. Chop the cold butter into small chunks and add to the topping mixture. Use your hands to incorporate the butter until the mixture is very crumbly. Once the apples are ready, sprinkle the oat mixture on top and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the oats have a nice, golden color. Serve warm or hot.

Raspberry Jam Spots

Make more of these than you think you'll need. If you don't have a cookie gun (I like this one from Williams Sonoma, if you're looking to buy) just use two cookie cutters and roll the dough thickly after refrigerating until firm.

Ingredients
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
small jar of raspberry preserves

How To
Cream the butter ans sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, almond and salt. Beat until well combines. Add flour and mix well but don't overmix.

Press the dough onto ungreased, non-stick baking sheets, using the "wreath" cookie plate. Fill a sandwich baggy with the raspberry jam and cut off one tip. Fill each wreath with a good dollop of jam. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for a few minute before
removie or the jam will stick to the tray, not the cookie.

Molasses Cookies

Don't be afraid of the black pepper in these cookies! It gives them a lovely, mild zing.

Ingredients
2 sticks of butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup molasses
3 1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
sugar (for rolling the dough in)

How To
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add egg. Add molasses. Combine the remaining ingredients together separately then slowly add to the molasses mixture, being careful not to overmix the dough. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours in order to make it firm enough to handle.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Roll a tablespoon or so of dough into a ball with your hands. Roll in sugar and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes (the larger your balls, the longer it takes and the chewier the centers will be.)

The cookies are lovely and delicious as is but are also fun to decorate with royal icing.

Candy Cane Pretzels

I love the gifts of food and drink. The nature of them is temporary and celebratory, just like the season. I'll be posting several recipes for cookies, candies, and other gifts in the coming days. The one below is very easy and always a big hit. White chocolate is very easy to work with and a great choice for first-time candy makers!

Ingredients
1 pound bag of mini pretzels
2 pound2 white chocolate (I get mine from Trader Joe's-- they get theirs from Ghiradelli)
1 dozen peppermint candy canes ( I like Bob's)

How To
Chop the white chocolate up into big chunks. You can melt it in the microwave by heating it in 30 second intervals, stirring well in between. I actually melt mine by putting it in the crock pot on low for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. When it reaches the right consistency, I turn the crock pot to warm and begin using it right away. White chocolate is very forgiving but don't abuse it by overheating it.

While the chocolate is melting, unwrap the candy canes and put them in a plastic freezer bag. It's important to try and avoid touching the candy canes as much as possible because the sweat from your hands will make them sticky. Crush them with a rolling pin.

Dip the pretzels in the white chocolate until they are totally covered. I use a fork and tap the pretzel against the side of bowl a little so the shape of the pretzel is clear. Place on a piece of waxed paper. Sprinkle with candy cane. Let cool. Yum!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Yummy. If you're looking for a lower-calorie option, bake this up in a bundt pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Bonus: your home will smell wonderful as they bake.

Ingredients

1 box of spice cake mix
2 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
8 ounces (1 box) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon orange juice
the zest of one orange
1 pound (1 box) of powdered sugar

How To

Preheat your oven according to the directions on the cake mix box. Combine the cake mix, eggs, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well and pour into cupcake holders in a cupcake pan. Bake according to the directions on the box. They may take slightly longer than stated on the box. Be sure to check them with a toothpick to make sure they are done.

After the cupcakes are baked and cooled, mix the remaining ingredients together to make the frosting. Frost and refrigerate to set the frosting.

Strawberries!

Strawberries are in season! I'll eat them breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mmm. This is an easy way to kick up the flavor and create an easy (but not thick) sauce for Strawberry Shortcake or strawberries and whipped cream or strawberries in crepes... over ice cream... in tart shells... anything!

Ingredients:
strawberries, two little green baskets worth
1/4 cup superfine sugar
the juice of half a lemon

How To:
Take the stems off of your berries either with a fancy little de-stemmer or a small, sharp knife. Wash your berries well, then cut in half and dump in a bowl. Pour in the lemon juice and stir. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and stir. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Everything Oatmeal Cookies

If it was at all reasonable to do so, I think I would live on these. And steak. And french fries. And martinis. But that's it.

Ingredients
3 cups oats
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 sticks of butter, very soft
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup raisins
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon lemon zest

How To
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream the butter, vanilla, and sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix well.
3. Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add to the egg and butter mixture and mix well.
4. Add the oats, raisins, chocolate chips, and lemon zest. If you're using a mixer, it's best to stir these in by hand. Otherwise, the mixer will bump along, as well as break down a lot of the raisin and chocolate.
5. Drop tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets, spacing each cookie at least 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool on the rack for several minutes, then move to a cooling rack and let cool completely.