Brownie + Cookie

A few weeks ago, I saw these. Imagine a cookie and a brownie together?!

 

 

 

I prefer the chocolate chip cookie side the most...

 

 

...but the chocolate brownie side is good too. Two little boys (my cute baby brothers [I have three other brothers, but they're not as cute]) wandered over and had to be restrained so I could finish photographing the brownies + cookies.

 

 

 

Recipe:

This recipe makes 3-4 dozen brownies + cookies.

Brownie Cookie Batter:

10 tablespoons butter, softened

2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar 

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Chip Cookie Batter:

10 tablespoons butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar 

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (mini size preferred)

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with silpat liners or parchment paper. Set aside.

2. For the brownie cookie batter, in a medium bowl with a handheld electric mixer (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer), beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, yolk and vanilla and beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until light in color.

3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate while making the chocolate chip cookie batter.

4. For the chocolate chip cookie batter, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer or with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth, 1-2 minutes.

5. Blend in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla, mixing for 2-3 minutes until the batter is very light in color. In a separate small bowl (you can use the same one as the brownie batter dry ingredients), whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter with the chocolate chips and mix until no dry streaks remain and the chocolate chips are evenly distributed.

6. Portion both sets of dough into about 4 dozen equal pieces; they will be small teaspoon or so sized balls.

7. Grabbing one chocolate chip cookie ball and one brownie batter ball, press them together and use your hands to gently form into a cookie shape, flattening and turning to smooth the edges and form a flattish but still thick cookie shape; they'll spread out while baking.

8. Bake the cookies on the prepared baking sheets for 8-10 minutes. Don't overbake or they will be dry and crunchy - underbake just slightly for a soft, chewy texture. It's ok if the chocolate side crackles just a bit. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes before scooping onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

 

 

~From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Soft, sweet, very delicious, and one my family's favorite breads would be the best description for these super yummy rolls. :)

 
While on the search for a recipe I was disappointed to find out that many called for pineapple juice...
 

 
...until I saw this.
 

 
  Yum!!
 

 

Recipe: 

Makes 9 large rolls
 
1c. warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. oil
1/8 tsp. coconut extract
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
3-4c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4c. sugar

 
1. Place warm water in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer. Stir yeast into the water and let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. Attach the dough hook to mixer and add the oil, salt, coconut extract, and lemon juice. Mix at low speed.
3. Add the flour, one cup at a time until the dough is no longer sticky and knead for 1-2 minutes.
4. Put the dough in a greased bowl and place in a warm spot to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
5. When risen completely, lightly grease a pie pan and shape the dough into nine balls. Set the pan in a warm place to rise until doubled in size and then bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.


*To get a nice, soft buttery top, gently rub some butter on the top immediately after removing them from the oven.

~adapted from The Midnight Baker

Beef & Bean Burritos + Chunky Guacamole

 Weekends at our house are not very predictable and it's rare when all 10 of us sit down to eat a meal at the same time on a Saturday.

 

[Thus enter Beef & Bean Burritos + Chunky Guacamole :)]

 

 

 

These burritos are beefy and very delicious. And the guacamole? That's just icing on the cake.

 

 

My plan was to make a bunch of burritos and freeze some for next Saturday's lunch... The final product made 16 big burritos - just enough for this Saturday and a few extra for next weekend. 

 

 

 

The guacamole is really easy and simple to whip up last minute too!

 

 

*This recipe is for making the burritos ahead of time and freezing, if you would like to eat these after making them, place on a baking sheet and heat at 250F for 5 minutes or until heated through.

 

Beef & Bean Burritos:

Makes 16 big burritos

 

4lb. ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2c. diced onion

2 3/4c. shredded cheddar

7c. cooked pinto beans, drained, but reserve the bean juice

4c. cooked brown rice

3 Tbsp. taco seasoning

2-3tsp. salt (this depends on how salty your pinto beans are & your salt preferences)

1/3c. salsa

16 large tortillas

 

1. Cook the ground beef in a large pot on the stove until brown and drain the grease. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook 1-2 more minutes.

2. Add 1/2 a cup of reserved bean juice to the pinto beans and puree. Add the shredded cheddar, beans, brown rice, taco seasoning, salt, and salsa to the ground beef. Stir until well combined and fill the burritos. (Picture tutorial for filling the burritos is below.)

 

Chunky Guacamole:

 

2 avocados

3-4 cloves of garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/3c. salsa, optional

 

1. Mash the avocado with a fork until you have reached the desired consistency for your guacamole and then stir in the garlic. Salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

 

3 Ingredient Fudge

This fudge is super duper easy and delicious!

 

   Everybody in my family likes this (even the little girl who doesn't like chocolate!).

     Not too sweet and perfectly chocolaty... mmm...

Fudge:

This makes a 1 inch thick, 9x5 loaf pan

1 bag of Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips
1, 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
pinch of salt
1/2c. walnuts (optional, but definitely recommended)

1. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
2.Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave for 10-20 seconds at a time, stirring frequently to prevent burning until completely melted.
3. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and salt and pour into loaf pan. Put the pan in the freezer for 1 hour or until hardened.

~from Allrecipes.com

Quick & Easy Hummus

  This is one of my favorite dips for fresh veggies and it's also full of fiber and protein!

 

It only requires a few ingredients. Six, to be exact.

No tahini needed!

My little sister loves this hummus... :)

Quick & Easy Hummus:

Makes about 1 cup of dip

1, 15.5oz can chickpeas, drained
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. canola oil
4-5 Tbsp. water
salt & pepper to taste

1. Blend the chickpeas, cumin, and oil together in the food processor and add the water until it has reached the desired consistency. Salt & pepper to taste and enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

We have 30+ blueberry plants in our yard and this year they are really loaded with berries. Blueberry Muffins have always been one of my favorite kind of muffins, so it made plenty of sense to make some.

 

 

These muffins were full of fresh blueberries and topped with a brown sugar and oat streusel.

 

 

  I'm not too sure of the exact reason that I like blueberry muffins so much...

 

 

...they're just... really good. (So good, that I ate three of the seven that this recipe made!)

 

 

I baked these in an XL muffin tin - surprise, surprise! :)

 

 

 

Muffins:

Makes 7 extra large muffins

 

1 1/2c. flour

3/4c. white sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3c. applesauce

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2c. fresh blueberries

 

Streusel:

2 Tbsp. oats

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and grease muffin tins or line with paper liners.

2. Stir the flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.

3. Whisk the egg, milk, applesauce, and vanilla together in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and combine.

4. Stir in the blueberries and fill the muffin tins almost to the top with batter. Sprinkle on the streusel and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

 

~Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

       If not for the name, you probably wouldn't be able to tell that these muffins are hiding a vegetable.

 

 

   These aren't exactly muffins...

  

                                                                                                       

...maybe more like healthy cupcakes. :)

 

 

Moist? Yes. Chocolaty? Yes. Sounds to me like it qualifies as a cupcake. Just sayin'.

 

 

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes, anyone?

 

 

 

Muffins:

Makes 2 dozen muffins

 

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 3/4c. sugar

1/2c. applesauce

1/2c. oil

2 tsp. vanilla

2c. finely grated zucchini, squeezed*

3c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease or line two 12 count muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Beat the eggs, and egg whites in a large bowl. Combine the sugar, applesauce, oil, vanilla, and zucchini with the egg mixture and stir well.

3. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the bowl with the eggs and stir until just combined.

5. Fill the muffin tins to the top and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs attached.

 

*The zucchini MUST be squeezed before going into the muffins - I wrap up the grated zucchini in a large napkin and squeeze it to get the juice out.

 

~Adapted from Allrecipes.com