Sugar cookies, How I love you!

Cookie number three I made for my co-workers was the ever famous sugar cookie.  I've eaten my fair share of sugar cookies and let me tell you, this sugar cookie blows all the other sugar cookies away.  I also normally hate the work that goes into the sugar cookie.  But I'll tell you, these cookies were down right fun! The dough was thick, beautiful and didn't rip.  They baked up gorgeously and the taste is just perfect; buttery with a hint of vanilla.
     Alton Brown, I love you;  I truly, truly do.  Your recipe for sugar cookies creates a beautiful, soft, cookie, but I just thought it needed a flavor.  So I added a hint of vanilla.  And, these cookies are the best thing to ever happen.  Yes, they take some time.  The dough needs to chill, then you have to cut out shapes, and then, if you're not a Scrooge, you or your kids decorate them.  I always thought decorations were to cover the non-existent taste of a sugar cookie, so there is one major positive to these cookies.  These sugar cookies do not need to be decorated.  Sure, a nice glaze is always delicious.  In fact, I covered mine in three different glazes: a cinnamon glaze, a maple glaze, and a vanilla glaze.  The glaze recipe is really simple and from King Arthur Flour.  I made one batch, divided it in to thirds, flavored and colored each to taste and desired color.  Then I took my offset spatula, cooling rack, and set it all over the sink.  I frosted each cookie there in order to cut down on the mess.  I let these cookies dry for at least 8 hours to make sure they wouldn't smudge when I packed them.  These cookies are so good though, they really don't even need a glaze.  I urge you, try these cookies, especially if you have kids or need a cookie for a swap.  They are well worth the trouble and may even make you feel like a kid again!

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract*
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

* If you would prefer a different flavor, play away with the flavors.  Start with a teaspoon and add more as needed.  This may involve some tasting (darn it) to make sure you get the flavor right.  Flavors to try include: Orange, Lemon, Maple, Raspberry, Rum, Mint, Coconut, Anise, Almond, Banana, Cinnamon, Hazelnut, Coffee, Strawberry, Rootbeer, Pumpkin Pie or any combination like a Maple Cinnamon or Orange Coconut.  Your imagination is the limit.

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg, milk, and vanilla and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar, using a pastry mat will help keep the mess to a minimum. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges.  If your oven tends to brown things faster on one side, then rotate the cookie tray halfway through.  Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Mexican Hot Cocoa cookies with marshmallow

With homemade marshmallow 

So this cookie is a combination of two great recipes that I found.  The first is from the Cooking Channel and is there Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies, I liked the spice combination from this cookie, but I wasn't a big fan of the chocolate cookie.  I wanted something more brownie-like.  So, that perfect chocolate cookie/brownie recipe came from Stepable and their Hot Cocoa Cookies with Marshmallows .  These are the perfect cookies, sweet and warm, with a crisp outside and a marshmallow on top.  Now, I'm super crazy sometimes and I made homemade marshmallow to put on top.  I even thought about making homemade cinnamon flavored marshmallows to highlight the cinnamon flavor inside the cookie, but I decided to make it a simple vanilla marshmallow creme and then sprinkle the finished product with some cinnamon (like a cup of cocoa).  The recipe for homemade marshmallow can be found here, from the Bright-Eyed Baker .  It is really easy: sugar, corn syrup, water, a pot, mixer, egg whites, candy thermometer, cream of tarter and salt, and boom, you're ready for the best marshmallow fluff of your life.
     You can always adjust the amount of spice in your cookie.  The recipe I'm posting definitely has a kick.  As you eat the cookie, you get the cinnamon and chocolate, followed by a hint of spice and the creamy and sweet vanilla marshmallow.  They a delicious and decadent treat, perfect for the holiday season.  If you don't want to make your own marshmallow since it does take extra time, requires a stand mixer, or great coordination, then use store bought marshmallows cut in half.  It will taste the same and no one will be any wiser.  But, you need to take these to a cookie swap, holiday party or even into work.  You will be the hit of the party!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
12 ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips

With homemade marshmallow

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2.5 teaspoons of cinnamon
scant 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper *
2 teaspoons chili powder *

*If your chili powder is REALLY spicy, make sure to adjust accordingly.  I use a store brand chili that is much milder.

Directions:
1.  In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter and the 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips. Stir constantly until just melted. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes to slightly cool.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until just blended. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture just until combined.
3.  Add the cocoa powder, flour, spices, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed just until combined. Cover bowl with saran wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Scoop and drop the cookie dough by the tablespoon, onto the prepared cookie sheets. You should fit 12 cookies per sheet, and making sure to space them at least 2 inches apart.
5.  Bake cookies for 12 minutes. Remove cookies from oven.  If you're using store bought marshmallows, place the marshmallow half on top and put back in the oven until the marshmallow begins to melt, about 4 minutes.  KEEP AN EYE ON THIS because your marshmallow will burn in a blink.  Remove the cookies and let them cool on the tray for 4 minutes.
      If you're making your own marshmallow creme, then remove the cookies after the 12 minutes and let them cook on the cookie sheet for 4 minutes.  Remove them to a rack and let the cookies cool completely, then pipe or frost the homemade marshmallow on the top of the cookie.  If you want a toasted flavor you can place the cookies under the broiler for less than a minute or until the marshmallow becomes light brown for a toasted flavor.  MAKE SURE YOU WATCH THEM CONSTANTLY if you do this because they will burn quickly!

Let cool a bit and serve.

Cookies made by my best friend Tree, using this recipe and regular, store-bought marshmallows 

Chocolate Gingerbread cookies

I love the holiday season because I love that baking that goes along with it.  Since I have a bunch of lovely co-workers that deserve cookies, I went on a cookie baking spree.  I made all the dough on Friday and let it sit in the refrigerator until Sunday morning when I decided that coffee and cooking baking sounded like a perfect morning.  The first cookie I'll give you the recipe for me is Martha Stewart's Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread cookie.  I can't believe I'm going to write this, especially because I'm such a huge Martha fan, but...  I made a change to this cookie.  A very, very small change, but a change nonetheless (Sorry Martha).  And let me tell you, I didn't think I was a gingerbread fan.  Why you ask?  Well because to me, gingerbread tasted bad.  Maybe it was because my mom's ground ginger was 1,000 years old or previous gingerbread recipes created hard, tasteless cookies, better for construction than eating.
   This recipe though, this recipe is an eating recipe.  Your house or apartment will smell like chocolate and ginger, just enough spice that you'll know the holidays are drawing near.  These cookies are crisp on the outside with that perfectly chewy cookie center and a hint of ginger spice followed by the smoothness of chocolate.  In total, a perfect package in a small cookie.  I highly suggest these cookies for the chocolate lover or ginger cookie lover on your list.

Ingredients:
scant 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate ( I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped into tiny pieces)
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch if you have it, but not needed)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter


Directions:
1.  Line two baking sheets with parchment. Chop chocolate chips into very tiny pieces, you almost want the chocolate to dissolve into the cookies, set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cocoa.
2.  In the bowl  beat butter and grated ginger until whitened, about 4 minutes. Add brown sugar; beat until combined. Add molasses; beat until combined.
3.  In a small bowl, dissolve baking soda in 1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water. Beat half of flour mixture into butter mixture. Beat in baking-soda mixture, then remaining half of flour mixture.
 4.  Mix in chocolate; turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Pat dough out to about 1 inch thick; seal with wrap; refrigerate until firm, 2 hours or more.
 5. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough into 1 1/2- inch balls; place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake until the surfaces crack slightly, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chickpea Curry (can be made vegetarian)

So I'm a steak type of person... It makes me happy, but sometimes, it's nice to do a vegetarian week throw in there.  Since it's starting to get chilly here in Central Pennsylvania, I wanted something I could make in the crockpot, that was healthy, and had some warmth and comfort to it, but I wasn't quite ready for a hearty meat chili yet.  So, while I was at work one day, I went through some recipes and found this interesting gem, Chickpea Chili.  I'm be honest, I was not sure about the cinnamon or olives as a combination; I know I like them individually, but together I worried I would be making a mess.  Let me tell you, worries were totally alleviated.  This isn't a chili or a Thai style curry, more like an Indian curry.  When I walked into my apartment, the smells were heavenly!  I highly suggest the couscous to go along with it.   One of the modifications I did make was to add some drained, firm tofu.  I felt that I needed some more protein with this and so a lower calorie but higher protein option was the addition of the tofu.

   So I'm a steak type of person... It makes me happy, but sometimes, it's nice to do a vegetarian week throw in there.  Since it's starting to get chilly here in Central Pennsylvania, I wanted something I could make in the crockpot, that was healthy, and had some warmth and comfort to it, but I wasn't quite ready for a hearty meat chili yet.  So, while I was at work one day, I went through some recipes and found this interesting gem, Chickpea Chili.  I'm be honest, I was not sure about the cinnamon or olives as a combination; I know I like them individually, but together I worried I would be making a mess.  Let me tell you, worries were totally alleviated.  This isn't a chili or a Thai style curry, more like an Indian curry.  When I walked into my apartment, the smells were heavenly!  I highly suggest the couscous to go along with it.   One of the modifications I did make was to add some drained, firm tofu.  I felt that I needed some more protein with this and so a lower calorie but higher protein option was the addition of the tofu.

Chickpea Curry

Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas
2 quarts boiling water
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
4 fresh tomatoes, cut in pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth (to make vegetarian, use vegetable broth)
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and crushed  (I used a can of tomato sauce instead)
1 package of frozen, cooked squash
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
6 cups hot cooked couscous
8 lime wedges
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Place chickpeas in a saucepan; add 2 quarts boiling water. Cover and let stand 1 hour; drain. Place beans in a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through turmeric); sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to slow cooker. Add broth and next 5 ingredients (through squash) to slow cooker; cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
3. Stir in peas while the mixture is still hot. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over couscous with lime wedges.

Note: If you have leftover broth from the above recipe, use it to make your couscous. It will provide some addition flavor to plain couscous.  

Dark Chocolate, Baileys and Kahlua filled Cupcakes

So my dear friend Glorie, who I have had the pleasure of working with for two years, received a really awesome job at the Hintz Alumni center.  While I was really excited for Glorie, it also meant that the person who I bounced recipe ideas off of and who shared her exceptional recipes and baked goods with me, was going to be leaving.  Therefore, the moment called for an exceptional cupcake to celebrate her last day at work.  Since chocolate is her favorite thing, this chocolate cupcakes was a complete no-brainer.  It is luscious, chocolaty, smells divine, is light and has a velvety smooth frosting.  It's also not hard to make at all.  I used the recipe from The Brown Eyed Baker's blog, who does some phenomenal baking, but I made some changes to the ganache.  Since I like my cupcakes to have a boozy element, I thought that the ganache would be a perfect place for some changes.  Below is my recipe for these cupcakes and I highly encourage you to give these a try if you need chocolate cupcakes and let's be honest, we all NEED chocolate cupcakes!  P.s.  I doubled the ganache filling because I think the more filling the better!

INGREDIENTS:
For the Ganache Filling:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped  (I used dark chocolate chips)
1/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur
1/4 cup Kahlua liqueur
1 tbsp half and half


For the Cupcakes:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
⅓ cup black cocoa powder 
¾ cup hot coffee
¾ cup all purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:
1¼ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup black cocoa powder
1/2 regular cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
¾ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces chocolate (milk, semisweet or dark), melted and cooled

DIRECTIONS:
1. Make the Ganache Filling: Place the chopped chocolate and liqueur in a small sauce pan.  Place over medium heat and whisking constantly, stir until the mixture comes to a boil.  Boil for one minute to cook off the acidic bite of the alcohol.  Set aside and let cool.

2. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin pan with liners. Place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Pour the hot coffee over the mixture and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate mixture for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

4. Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

5. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin pan cups.  Bake until the cupcakes are set and just firm to the touch, 17 to 19 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and place on the wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

6. When cupcakes are cool, use a corer to remove the center and then fill the cooled cupcake with the cooled ganache mixture.  Fill the center until the ganache is even with the top of the baked cupcake.

6. Make the Frosting: In the mixing bowl attached to you Kitchen Aide stand mixer, or in a mixing bowl with your mixer, process the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla extract and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then slowly drizzle in the chocolate and whip until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.  Frost the cupcakes as desired. The frosted cupcakes can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes:

The ganache filling can be omitted it if you'd like a more traditional chocolate cupcake.
The frosting can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 hours before using, or refrigerated for up to 3 days. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

Beer, Bacon and Chicken Stew... Oh My!

It's fall here in Central Pennsylvania and with fall comes beautiful leaves, the delicious scents of
baked goods, apples, pumpkins, and the lovely crock pot.  I love my crock pot; it is one of my best friends.  There is something so lovely about putting in all the ingredients, seasoning it, setting it, and leaving it to do its thing all afternoon or evening.  Then, when I come home the house smells like heaven.  This recipe was no exception.  I wanted something warm, comforting, and stew-like but healthy.  I wanted to feel warm, comforted and happy as I devoured dinner, especially since we've finally gotten into fall like temperatures.  This recipe from Eating Well did require quite a bit of prep work on the stove in a frying pan, but I used the same frying pan for all the things, and let me tell you, the stew is totally worth it.  The only change I made in this stew was to use a lighter beer.  I did this because I'm not a huge dark beer/stout fan and also because I already had it in my 'fridge versus having to buy more beer.  It made my stew a lot lighter in color, but the flavor is still good and comes through in the stew broth.  Use chicken thighs in this recipe too, not only are they cheaper, but they remain juicy throughout the longer cooking process.  Definitely give this stew a try, it will warm your heart, soul, and bowl!

Beer, Bacon, and Chicken Stew

6 tbsp plus 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, divided
1 tsp salt, divided, plus more for taste
1/2 tsp of pepper, plus more to taste
2 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 tsp of your favorite oil (I used 2 tsp butter and 2 tsp olive oil)
3 pieces of bacon, chopped
1 2/3 cup of Guinness beer or stout (I used a glass bottle of Coors Light since I had it)
1 pound of baby carrots or 5 large carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
1 8-ounce package of cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
2 cups of chopped onion
4 cloves of minced garlic
2 tsp of dried thyme
1 cup of reduced sodium chicken stock
2 cups of frozen baby peas, thawed
4 small, cubed potatoes (these are totally optional)

First, combine 6 tablespoons of flour with 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper in a shallow dish.  Dredge chicken thighs in the mixture to coat completely, transfer to a plate.  Heat 2 tsp of your oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add half the chicken and cook until well browned, about 2 to 4 minutes.  This is the base for the delicious broth, so don't cheat!  When they are done, transfer to the bowl of the slow cooker.  Repeat with the remaining thighs until all the chicken is in the slow cooker crock.  Next, add the chopped bacon to the skillet and cook until brown and crispy.  Stir the remaining flour into the bacon and cook for 2 minutes.  This will remove the raw flour taste.  Then add the beer and scrape up the bits in the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon.  Pour the mixture over the chicken.  Add the remaining oil and saute the onion until translucent, add the garlic and cook until just fragrant.  Add the carrots, mushrooms and thyme.  Saute for about 5 minutes and then dump into the crock pot with the bacon and beer broth.  If you want, add the optional potatoes at this time.  Cover and cook until the chicken falls apart, approximately 4 hours on high and 7 to 8 hours on low.  Before you serve, add in the peas and stir.  Allow the peas to be heated through, about 10 minutes.  Taste and then add more salt and pepper as needed.  Mine needed about 1/4 tsp of pepper and about 3/4 tsp of salt.

Makes 8 servings approximately 1 1/3 cups per serving
365 calories *
13g fat (3 sat or 6 mono)*
88 mg cholesterol *
28 g carbohydrates *
0 added sugar *
30 g protein *
4 g fiber *
570 mg sodium *
650 mg potassium*
* Without potatoes and using stout

Rosemary Apple Bread

Bread: warm with a crunchy crust and soft, luscious interior, I'm a sucker for you.  Seriously, it's a terrible, terrible addiction.  I won't touch pre-sliced, somewhat hard bread you buy in a bag (needless to say, I'm not a sandwich girl)  but I will devour an entire loaf of the fresh stuff.  An entire loaf, alone, with no help and no butter.  Then I spend the next 2 hours in a blissed out carb coma, loving and loathing my life decision.  It's a serious problem.  It is why I try to not make fresh bread very often.  I have no self control, none!
    So, what's a girl to do with no self control and a love for bread?  Well, try new bread recipes of course and tell herself that this time will be different.  After a day pep talk about not eating an entire loaf at one time in one sitting, I felt brave enough to try this bread recipe.  It's fall here in PA and apples are my true love.  I've had apple rosemary pork before and loved it, so I figured how could apple rosemary bread be bad and guess what, it's not bad at all, not even a little bit.  In fact, it's pretty darn good, so good that my willpower is being tested every moment it sits on my counter.  I'm on day two and still have half a loaf left, I swear it is only because I've been at work these last two days.  It is good, crazy good, and a bit of Stonewall Kitchen apple cider jam makes it even better.  Like dessert quality good.  So without further ado, here is the original recipe. I made a few changes.  I used dried rosemary.  Why you ask?  I'm cheap and I already had it.  Secondly, I coated to top of the bread with melted butter and then liberally coated it with white sugar.  Why?  Because it made an absolutely phenomenal sweet, crunchy crust that is the perfect foil for this savory bread. I urge you, make this recipe!  I made it using my KitchenAid Stand Mixer, but you can make it by hand with very little effort.  This isn't a bread that has to rise for 2 hrs. 40 minutes of rising time and you are ready to bake.  It's a dense bread, but soft and supple, and just sooo good!

Rosemary Apple Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon ground rosemary (1 tsp finely chopped fresh)
1 package quick-rise yeast
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 cup diced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 small)
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons butter, melted
2 tbsp of white sugar

Put flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 3/4 cups flour, salt, rosemary, and yeast in mixer bowl with bread attachment.  Add water, stirring until a soft dough forms. Add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, so dough pulls away from the pan sides and begins to come together.  When dough has pulled away from sides cleanly and doesn't stick to you hands, turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes); Cover and let rest 10 minutes in a warm, draft free spot.  Best place thing to do is while you're prepping, turn your oven onto warm, when it is pre-heated, turn it off and when you need to proof your bread, cover it with a towel and place it in the oven.  Knead in apple. Place the dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rest 10 minutes in your warm but off oven.

Shape dough into a loaf; place dough in an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Gently press dough into pan; cover. Let rise in a warm place (oven again (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Then remove dough and preheat oven to 375°.

Right before placing it in the oven, brush with melted butter.  Then liberally sprinkle with about 2 tbsps of white granulated sugar.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until bread is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped. Brush top with butter. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Apple Pie with homemade filling

      So it's been a while since I've posted, but dissertation writing is in full swing and let me tell you, it's not always fun.  Other times, it is great and I'm so excited I can't wait to write more.  However, it means that most of my other writing has disappeared all together.  Hence the reason the last update for the blog was in April.  AHHHHH!
     This summer I canned a whole bunch of apple pie filling on my own.  I LOVE apple pie.  It is my all time favorite pie.  Actually, apple anything is my favorite.  Fall for me is all about apples!  Pumpkin is alright, but I crave cinnamon, tart apple, brown sugar, and the smell of baking apples.  That is my fall drug of choice.  A few weeks ago I decided to make a pie using my home canned pie filling.  Let me tell you, it was AMAZING!  So this recipe is a little bit of a cheat because the pie filling is already made.  The crust is easy, peasy and so delicious.
   In case you have a fear of crust, the alcohol in the crust ensures that it will always be flaky, no matter how many times you have to roll it out. The crust recipe is my natural go to.  It is from Alton Brown's Super Apple Pie.    The pie filling is from Ball Canning.

Crust
6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 ounces vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5 to 7 tablespoons applejack
12 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 2 3/4 cups, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

To make crust:
Place the butter, shortening and applejack into the refrigerator for 1 hour.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar by pulsing 3 to 4 times. Add the butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until the texture looks mealy. Add the shortening and pulse another 3 to 4 times until incorporated.  Remove the lid of the food processor and sprinkle in 5 tablespoons of the applejack. Replace the lid and pulse 5 times. Add more applejack as needed, and pulse again until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Weigh the dough and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

For the Filling:

2 cups sliced peeled cored apples, treated to prevent browning* and drained (about 12 medium)
Water
2-3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup ClearJel® (cooking starch used for preserving)
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2-1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice
1-1/4 cups cold water
1/2 cup lemon juice
7 Ball®(16 oz) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

DIRECTIONS:
To treat apple slices to prevent browning, apply Ball® Fruit-Fresh® Produce Protector according to the manufacturer's instructions or submerge cut apples in a mixture of 1/4 cup lemon juice and 4 cups water.

PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil.  Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
BLANCH apple slices, working with 6 cups at a time, in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a covered bowl.
COMBINE sugar, ClearJel®, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large stainless steel saucepan. Stir in apple juice and cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, and cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice, return to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Drain apple slices and immediately fold into hot mixture. Before processing, heat, stirring, until apples are heated through.
LADLE hot apple pie filling into hot jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 25 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

When you're ready to make it all remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator. Place the dough onto a lightly floured piece of waxed paper. Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and roll out into a 12-inch circle. Place into a 9 1/2 to 10-inch pie pan that is 2-inches deep. Gently press the dough into the sides of the pan, crimping and trimming the edges as necessary. Then, open the canned jar of pie filling and dump into the pie.  Take the other disk of dough and roll it out to cover the top of the pie.  Seal the edges with a bit of milk and press the edges together until the two disks of dough seal.  Put slices in the top, so the pie can vent and then gently spread some milk over the top of the crust.  Then, sprinkle white sugar on top of the pie to give it a bruleed top.


Preheat oven to 425 and bake on the lowest rack for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for another 15/20 or until top is brown and filling is bubbly.  Make sure to place a pizza pan below the pan to catch drips.  If needed, the crust can be covered with tin foil if they begin to burn.

Peachy Bourbon Ice Cream

So I've got a fun birthday, February 29th.  It's more fun as I've gotten older (kinda), but as a little kid, it was down right devastating.  Explain to a small kid why they don't have an actual day to celebrate their birthday, be line leader, take in cupcakes, and wear the birthday crown.  As I've gotten older, it's gotten a bit cooler, until I hit those major milestone birthday.  Turning 30 last year was a bit rough, especially when one minute (11:59pm) you're 29 and the next minute (12:00am) you're 30 without so much as an entire day to adjust to this new age.  
   Normally my birthdays are pretty low key; celebrate with family and friends by a nice dinner followed by cake and ice cream.  In previous years I've even made my own cake, searching for the perfect white chocolate raspberry cake.  Recently, I've found that Giant Eagle in Ohio makes a divine White Chocolate Raspberry cake that might actually beat mine.  (That was tough to admit, but it is divine!)  So this year I decided that my addition to my birthday would be ice cream.  Now I'm not a huge ice cream fan; rarely will you ever catch me eating a bowl of ice cream watching tv.  However, I decided that maybe I just wasn't eating the right flavor of ice cream, so I went searching.  I love peaches, I love bourbon, I love brown sugar, therefore Peachy Bourbon Ice Cream was calling my name.  Warning #1: You DO need an ICE CREAM maker for this recipe.  Sorry folks!   I had received one for Christmas this past year that fit my KitchenAid Stand Mixer and I love it! So if you've got an ice cream maker, please try this recipe.  The ice cream is cool, smooth, sweet, spicy, bourbony and peachy; the absolutely perfect combinations.  Needless to say, I finished this ice cream (mostly on my own, with a bit of sharing, but not much).  I really didn't vary the recipe much, except for what type of peaches I used  (frozen since they weren't in season) and how I cooked the peaches.  The original recipe is from Emeril.  Warning #2: vanilla beans are pricey, so plan ahead.

Ingredients:
4 cups half-and-half
1/2 vanilla bean, cut and seeds scraped
Pinch salt
3/4 cup sugar
8 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced ginger
4 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped, plus slices for garnish (or frozen)
1/4 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup bourbon

For the Caramel Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup whole milk

Directions: 


Combine the half-and-half, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt in a non-reactive saucepan over medium heat. Bring the half-and-half to the boiling point and scald it.  Scalding the half-and-half means that you heat the half-and-half until it just barely bubbles around the edges of the pan.  Once it begins to bubble around the edges, remove from the heat.

In the meantime, beat the sugar and egg yolks in a bowl. Add the half-and-half mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time, to the beaten eggs and sugar, whisking in between each addition, until all is used. Do this slowly so that you do not make scrambled eggs.  Pour the mixture back into the saucepan reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool completely (allow the custard to cool under refrigeration for at least 2 hours).  Straining makes sure that if you did accidentally cook any of the egg, it doesn't make it into your ice cream.

While the half and half/egg mixture is cooling, prepare the peaches. In a saute pan set over medium heat, add the butter. Once melted, add the ginger to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the peaches and sugar to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally until most of the sugar has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to high and once the pan is hot, remove from the heat and add the bourbon. Quickly return the pan to the heat and ignite the bourbon*. Once the flames die out, turn the heat off and allow the peaches to cool. When cooled, fold the peaches into the ice cream custard.

After completely cooled, pour the custard into the ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer's instructions for churning time. Place ice cream in a freezer-safe container and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

* So igniting the bourbon seems like a really scary process.  It isn't.  I live in an apartment with a sensitive smoke detector and I was concerned about this step.  All I did was turn on my stove fan and light the pan on fire with a lighter.  It didn't flare up real high, but it did burn steady with a blue flame for about 4 minutes.

Serve in ice creams cups with the caramel sauce and garnished with fresh sliced peaches and fresh mint leaves.

For the Caramel Sauce:
Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn. Add the cream, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before serving. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)

Yield: generous 3/4 cup

Serve this ice cream with the caramel sauce and you will be in HEAVEN!  It's the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, boozy, and delicious!

Bacon Wrapped Spicy Brown Sugar Pork Ribs

Well after abstaining from meat on Good Friday and having to work on Easter Sunday, my grandmother and I celebrated Easter a day early with a pork festival.  I was in charge of making dinner for grandma and I and I didn't want to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen for a simple meal.  So I ventured to the grocery store and went looking for things that were simple and on sale; I truly had no recipes in mind.  However, when I saw that Western Cut pork ribs were on sale, I was sold.  Pork it would be!  In case Western Cut pork ribs are a new thing to you, check out the photo, they are pieces of pork with no bones.  These are the softest cut of meat, but they are tasty and good for wrapping in bacon!  The rub for these ribs are can be catered to your spice tolerance level.  I like things that are a bit spicy, so these were a perfect combination of sweet and spicy!  I made them the night before and let them sit in the refrigerator, then I took them about about 30 minutes before I wanted to pop them in the oven to come to room temperature.  Feel free to play around with the spice rub mixture and MAKE SURE TO REMOVE THE TOOTHPICKS BEFORE SERVING!  Nothing ruins a dinner like a trip to the ER.

Ingredients:
8 Western Cut Pork Ribs
24 strips of bacon (approximately 3 pieces per rib)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp ground mustard
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
toothpicks

Directions:  Grab yourself a pan with a wire rack that fits in it.  Unwrap the ribs and the bacon and pour yourself out some toothpicks.  In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, cayenne, cinnamon, mustard powder, salt and pepper; then pour this mixture onto a plate.   Leave about  3 tablespoons of the spice mixture in the bowl to sprinkle on before you broil.  Take the pork rib and roll it in the sugar spice mixture, then take a piece of bacon and starting at the end, wrap the bacon as tightly as possible around the rib.  In order to do this, place a toothpick at the end to secure it, then roll/wrap the bacon.  A second clean plate works best for the rolling part.  When the bacon stops, add the second piece and secure with a toothpick,  add a third piece if needed.  The entire rib should be covered by the bacon.  Repeat this until all the ribs are covered.  Enjoy the extra bacon or add it to the bourbon gravy , recipe in next blog post tomorrow.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Cover the ribs with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.  After 25 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Then, turn the broiler on.  Pull out the ribs and sprinkle them on both sides with the left over brown sugar spice mixture.  Broil the ribs on both sides until the bacon turns crisp and the brown sugar creates a crisp crust.  Serve hot!    Don't you dare get rid of those pan drippings!!!!  Bourbon gravy is going to be made from those! Tune in tomorrow!  

Monkey Pudding (Bananas, chocolate and vanilla pudding)

Vanilla, banana, chocolate, banana, vanilla layers of pudding goodness 

 I like sweets, I like sweets a lot.  However, in trying to eat healthier, I've tried to make better decisions on the sweets I'm eating.  This means that I've tried to limit sugar and fat in my sweets.  This pudding isn't the best thing out there since it uses sugar free, fat free Jello pudding, but it does have a banana in it.  I hate bananas, like really, really hate bananas.  The texture really bothers me; however, in this recipe, the banana doesn't bother me so much.  Once again, I apologize for these pictures, but it is really hard to take an amazing picture of pudding.  Pudding just isn't that photogenic, but let me tell you, it is delicious.  Buy yourself some chocolate and vanilla jello pudding and a few bananas and enjoy this sweet treat after dinner. The measurements aren't an exact science, but this is a super quick dessert and I normally make the two puddings before I start dinner and by the time I make and eat dinner, the dessert is ready to assemble.  This is easy peasy and tasty!

Ingredients:
1 pkg Sugar Free, Fat Free Chocolate Jello Pudding
1 pkg Sugar Free, Fat Free Vanilla Jello Pudding
1 cup of milk, divided
1 banana
2 containers
1 bowl (or two if you have to share)
a spoon

In one container, add half of the SF,FF chocolate pudding mix.  Then add half a cup of milk.  Mix the pudding until it starts to turn into pudding.  If you need to add more milk because it is too think, feel free to add it tablespoon by tablespoon.  If add too much milk, add a little bit of chocolate pudding mix.   Once the mixture has mixed the ideal consistency, put the lid on and put in the refrigerator.  In the other bowl, add half of the vanilla pudding mix and half a cup of milk.  Use the same process that you used for the chocolate pudding mix, until the desired consistency is met.  Place this in the refrigerator next to chocolate pudding.  Go do something for 20 to 30 minutes.

Come back in 30 minutes and grab yourself a bowl, spoon, the banana, and a knife.  Peel the banana and cut it into slices.  Grab your spoon, the two pudding containers, and the banana pieces.  Take your spoon and spoon some chocolate (or vanilla) pudding into the bottom of the bowl, then put in a layer of bananas, then spoon in the opposite flavor of pudding, and then put in another layer of bananas.  Keep layering pudding and bananas until you're out of pudding and bananas.  This can make one or two desserts, depending on if you need (or want) to share.  

Crockpot soup: Tequila, Lime, Chicken Fajita

Dinner with a cheddar cornbread muffin

So the calendar says that it is spring here in Central Pennsylvania, but Mother Nature missed that memo.  We've had rain, sun, clouds, and snow showers all within the last three days.   Therefore, when menu planning time came around for the week, I wanted something warm, comforting, and perfect for a rainy/snowy day.  At first, I started thinking about casserole, but casseroles are my go to food for winter and according to the calendar, it's spring!  So my next thought went to soup, however, I've to tell you, I'm not a huge soup fan.  Those clear broth soups with a few things floating around never seem to fill me up.  In fact, I'm often more hungry after eating soup than I was before I started.  So, when I started thinking about soup, I knew it needed to be a soup that had a hint of spice, was jam packed with tons of goodies, and would be easy to put together.  I started thinking that a Mexican style soup would be really good, but I wasn't feeling a chicken tortilla or black bean soup.  I wanted something that screamed SPRING IS HERE!!  I was this soup as I was browsing soup recipes and I instantly fell in love with the photos.  As you all know, my photo taking ability is not the best; but it gets the point across, it's accessible, and it fits into my crazy schedule.  Sometimes I truly wish I took better pictures, but you know what, to heck with it; the food tastes amazing and that is what counts.  So thanks everyone for  putting up with my less than stellar photos!

Without further ado then, let me introduce this Tequila, Lime, Chicken Fajita Crockpot Soup!  Yes, you read that right, CROCKPOT soup!  Whooo hooo! One of my favorite words is crockpot because it is a simple prepare and dump soup.  I've changed the original recipe from Chelsea's Messy Apron  and let me tell you, this recipe is probably the best soup recipe I've ever made!  It only takes 3 hours in the crockpot, so if you've got a timer on your crockpot, set it and go.  If not, set your crockpot up for three hours using one of those light timers and enjoy!  You'll come home and your house will smell like a fiesta is waiting for you! Mix up a margarita and enjoy!

Soup without the garnishes

Ingredients:
32 oz unsalted chicken stock (make sure it is unsalted)
1 can of Rotel with green chiles
1 can of Rotel with Cilantro and Lime
1 packet chicken fajita seasoning
1 lb chicken tenders (not the breaded kind, but the raw chicken kind, cut into bite-sized pieces)
1 can low sodium black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 lime (zested and cut in half)
1 package Jalapeno Mango chicken sausage
3/4 cup roasted garlic quinoa  (this came in an ready to make, just add water package)
3 tbsps of tequila
4 fresh Roma tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces

Garnishes:
avocado
Mexican cheese
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
tortillas

In the bowl of your crockpot add the broth, the fajita seasoning packet, half of the lime zest, half of the lime juice, the tequila and corn.  In your food processor, puree the two cans of Rotel until they are a liquid and add to the crockpot.  Then, cut the chicken tenders and chicken sausage into bite size pieces and add them to the liquid.  Drain and rinse the black beans and add them.  Add the quinoa and then turn your crockpot on low and let cook for three hours.  When the three hours have passed and your house now smells like it's ready for fiesta,  add the fresh tomatoes, the other half of the lime juice and serve.  Garnish with your favorite toppings.  I enjoy avocado, cheese, and Greek yogurt.  This is a phenomenal soup and will definitely be added to my soup rotation!

My soup "doctored" up with Greek yogurt, avocado, and cheese

The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie EVER!

I know that this blog already has a brown butter chocolate chip cookie on it and it was amazing; however, this cookie is far superior to the other cookie.  Yes, the other cookie is much easier to make and has less steps, but trust me, the steps in this cookie are totally worth it!!!  Make sure you plan ahead of time to make these, but please, please make these at least once in your life.  I made them for a meeting and they disappeared completely within minutes.  These cookies are moist, fluffy, nutty, chocolaty, and just plain delicious.  I didn't make a whole lot of changes to this cookie except for the type of chocolate I used.  I'm normally a huge fan of semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels in chocolate chip cookies, but GASP, I was out of them!  (Definitely a crime against humanity to run out of semi-sweet chocolate chips and I immediately restocked them with a giant bag from Sam's Club).  So in this recipe I used dark chocolate morsels and a little less than called for.  Why did I do this?  Well I'm not sure but I'm not a huge chocolate chip fan, I actually love the cookie part!So the here is the original recipe from Sally's Baking Addition (a great site!)  So, since it's a raining and cold day here in State College, I highly suggest that you raid your pantry and start making these cookies NOW!  :-)

p.s. If you're into a nut in your chocolate chip cookies, I'm pretty sure you can add them.  I didn't, but that doesn't mean that the addition wouldn't be wonderful!  If you chose to add the nuts, add then when you add the chocolate chips and I would recommend toasting the nuts ahead of time and making sure they are cool when they are added.


Ingredients 
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 and 1/2 cups  all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons milk
1 cup dark chocolate chips  (or whatever you prefer & if you really like chocolate chips, add an additional 1/2 cup)


Directions:

1.  Brown the butter according to the instructions below this recipe. Once browned, immediately remove from heat and pour into a large Tupperware or a 9x13 baking pan. Try to leave some of the browned solids/bits in the pan because if you don't it will give the butter a  burnt-like flavor.  Discard these dark brown bits. Cover tightly, place in the refrigerator, and chill until solid - about 3 hours.  If you're rushed on time, pour it in a 9x9 and place it in the freezer for an hour.  This will harden the butter, which is what you want so that you can cream it with the sugar.

2.  Remove solid brown butter from the refrigerator and spoon into a large bowl. In a large bowl, add the chilled brown butter, the granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla on high speed and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

3.  In a separate bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together. Using low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined, then beat in the milk on medium speed. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix on low for about 5-10 seconds until evenly disbursed. Cover dough tightly and chill for at least an hour up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough. The longer the better; but I'm never that patient.
  * quick cheat here.  I like to use a tiny scoop for cookies.  I scoop them, roll them into balls, and then I put them on a cookie tray to freeze them for an hour.  This way, after the hour is up, I can either bake all the cookies or I can put them in a bag to freeze them for later.  Normally, they end up being slowly devoured as frozen cookie balls, but that's a whole different story.

4.  Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes-- if the cookie dough chilled longer than 4 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This makes the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.  (If you pre-scoop and roll, then there is no need to do this step, so skip ahead.).

5.  Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.

6.  Scoop and roll balls of dough, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each, into balls. Bake the cookies in batches for 11-12 minutes, until slightly golden brown around the edges. If your oven has hot spots  be sure to rotate the pan once during bake time. The baked cookies will look extremely soft in the centers when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet.

7.  If your into beautiful looking cookies (I'm am, but I never take the extra time to do this, I'm more a bake and eat type girl),  during this time, you can press a few extra chocolate chips into the top of the warm cookies. The cookies will slightly deflate as you let them cool. After the 5 minutes, transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.


Make ahead tip: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well - up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Apple Muffins

I felt like making muffins.  This urge comes on quite often and I ended up making a mess in my kitchen looking for ingredients that will make a great muffin.  Sometimes I find things that are amazing, other times I find things that make awful muffins.  One year I made blueberry muffins and tried to top them with a lime glaze.  Turns out lime glaze and and blueberry muffins take like industrial cleaner; therefore, not a successful muffin.  These however were incredibly successful muffins.  Left over apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, homemade buttermilk and some wheat pastry flour made these muffins slightly healthier than the average muffin.  Not to mention that these muffins make your house smell AMAZING!  Think the perfect combination of brown sugar, apples, and cinnamon.... yummmm!!!

So I made a few changes to this recipe, nothing major.  I never actually keep buttermilk on hand, so I normally have to make my own.  I make my buttermilk by using 2% or whole milk (1% will work, but it's not as thick).  In order to make a cup of buttermilk, I pour the milk into a glass measuring cup just to the very bottom of the one cup line.  Then, I add 1.5 tablespoons of white vinegar to the milk and let it sit.  In about 10 or 15 minutes, the milk will start to get kind of thick and slightly lumpy.  This is the buttermilk to use. I also used whole wheat pastry flour instead of whole wheat flour.  Here is the original recipe from King Arthur Flour.

The inside of this delicious muffin

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, divided
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups peeled, cored, and chopped apples; about 2 large apples, about 3/4 pound whole apples

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin pan, or line with papers and grease the insides of the papers.

2) Mix together the butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, beating until fluffy.

3) Add the egg and mix well

4) Gently mix in the buttermilk.

5) Stir in the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

6) Fold in the chopped apples.

7) Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, sprinkling the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar on top.

8) Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

9) Remove the muffins from the oven, cool them for 5 minutes in the pan, then turn them out onto a rack to finish cooling completely.

Yield: 12 muffins.

Ooey, Goey, Chocolate Brownie cookies

So you know those days when you're craving something ooey, gooey, and chocolaty, something like a brownie but with the ability to limit yourself to one or two instead of the entire pan?  Yeah, that was one of these days.  I was dying for a hot-out-of-the-oven brownie; that warm, deep, dark chocolate taste coating my tongue.  And, an icy cold glass of milk to wash it down.  The problem is, if I make an entire pan of brownies, I think that I need to eat the entire pan of brownies.  I mean, I do live alone, but an entire pan of brownies is still not a good idea.  So, Google became my best friend when I decided to try and find something called a brownie cookie. 
  When I first started this search, I wasn't sure that a brownie cookie actually existed.  I thought maybe I was going into uncharted territory and I was going to have to test out my culinary expertise.  However, much to my surprise, this miraculous thing called a Brownie cookie actually existed complete with a recipe.  So, once I found a recipe I liked, I went looking in my kitchen for the ingredients.  Well, part of the reason this blog hasn't been updated as frequently is because I started eating healthier.  I'm talking like roasted kale and salmon kind of healthy;  I've also tried to cut out sugar.  So needless to say, I've been doing a lot of experimenting with healthier treats.  Nothing has managed to make the blog so far, because I still need more practice to put it mildly.  However, once in a while I really, really want good old-fashioned sugar.  This craving led to these cookies.  Here is the original recipe from Food Network, Extreme Brownie Cookie, but when I started looking in my pantry, I didn't have any bittersweet chocolate.  So the handy girl that I am, I decided to proceed anyway with some improvisation.  Below please find the recipe for the ooey, gooey, chocolaty Chocolate Brownie Cookie

Ingredients:

12 ounces (2 cups) semi sweet chocolate, chopped

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup white

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips  ( I didn't use these, but if you like chocolate chips in your brownies, feel free to add

 

 

 

In the microwave, gently melt the chocolate and butter, using 15 second intervals. Allow it to cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl until frothy. Slowly add the sugar and beat until the mixture drips off the beaters. Add the melted chocolate mixture and combine.
Add the dry ingredients together. Fold in the chips if you desire. The dough will seem more like cake batter than cookie dough. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is well chilled (and more cookie-dough-like).   For this step, I actually just threw the bowl into the freezer for about 30 minutes until the butter re-hardened. 

Set the oven to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment.

Scoop up the chilled dough and roll with your hands into small balls the size of a half dollar. Place the cookies on the prepared pans, about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake about 12 minutes or a bit longer. The tops of the cookies should look dry and cracked. Allow to cool for a minute on the baking sheet, then remove to cake racks for further cooling.