Better Late Than Never

*UPDATE* I also just so happened to make the other photoless brownies (from the post referenced below) for a dinner with friends the other night. And THIS time, I got a picture. Enjoy. These might just be my favorite brownies ever:

Original Post:

Do remember way back last summer when I blogged about these mint brownies that I made for a wedding but never got a photo of?

Well, because they involve green, I made them this year for my husband to take into work as a St. Patrick's Day treat. And, though it's not an exceptional one, I did grab a photo. The only thing I did differently in the batch in the photo is leave off the chocolate galze on the top (for festivity's sake).

Better late than never!

A trifle

Well, I made that chocolate frosting from yesterdays post. Not intentionally. Okay, I made the frosting intentionally, but I did it to cover up a boo boo. You see, in my attempt to help rid the world of diabetes do too may things at one time, I forgot to add the proper amount of sugar to my first batch of brownies. What I ended up with were rich, dense, 50% less sugar brownies.

So in an attempt to resugarize (yes, I just made up that word) the brownies, I decided to try that chocolate frosting. Except instead of honey (I used the last of mine on that Oriental Chicken), I used 2 Tbsp of brown rice syrup. Same effect, very nice (and sweet) icing. But when it says to spread on warm brownies, it means it. The frosting comes out very thick and the heat helps thin it out.

Here are my 50% less sugar brownies plus their full sugar frosting:

Not bad, but not amazing. So I remade the original brownies with 100% sugar:

MUCH better!

And used the 50% less sugar brownies to make a trifle with.

Basically it's brownies, pudding, cool whip. Later, rinse, repeat.

So simple, and honestly one of my favorite desserts. The "flopped" brownies would also have been good in a cheesecake. You know, something where the rest of the product will compliment that semi-sweet intentional flavor?

Please excuse the Pyrex bowl. The cutsie dish I was going to use is not very portable. And since this is a dish I'm bringing to share with the folks I'll be ringing in the new year with, I went for practical.

Enjoy your last day in 2009! :o)

From the Vault (Brownies)

That's right.
I have already made a batch of these oatmeal bars (This time I used cherry pie filling, since I had it in my cupboard. Yum!) for John to take to work with him tomorrow. You know, a Happy New Year kind of thing?















And I have also decided to make (and have made - they're in the oven baking as I blog) a recipe from the Vault: brownies. Very rich and yummy brownies. I have no idea where the recipe came from, I just know that it has been around since my college years (nothing says exams like chocolate!). This is the basic recipe; I tend to tweak it depending on my mood, but here goes:

Yummy Brownies:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) melted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine your melted butter and sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each egg to make sure it is well combined. Add your vanilla in with your last egg.

In a small bowl, mix together your dry ingredients (everything left) and slowly add this mix to your butter mixture. Stir until smooth and pour in a greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Now, this recipe has an icing recipe with it. I've never made the icing, but if you'd like to, here it is:

Chocolate Brownie Icing:

• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients, blending until smooth. Spread over warm brownies and enjoy!

It's crazy to think that last year at this time I was in Haiti, serving the precious people who live there. I hadn't even met my husband yet. And as I blog about these recipes, noting my cupboards that are full of food, and not even necessary food (I mean cherry pie filling?), I can't help but stop and think of that nation so in need of food, shelter, clean water...

This isn't a guilt trip. You and I, both having access to the internet if you're reading this, clothes on our back, and resources for full pantries are simply blessed to be in this nation. Say what you will about a lot of things that do go very wrong in our country, but also remember all that goes right. Clean water - just for a quick example.

At any rate, a group from my home church in Florida are spending this week in Haiti, ministering to those there. Will you join me in praying both for them and for the Haitian people? 1 year ago God used my trip to this country to change my life... May those going and being ministered to also say the same.

I owe you...

Big time!

My faithful blog checkers, I am attempting to start this post (I know it probably won't even get finished today) in order to share with you some great recipes I have made as of late. With school back in session, my time is not my own it seems!

But I will try and make it up to you now with some fabulous soup and cheesecake recipes. :o)

First up, Cream Cheese Chicken Soup















We had a bit of chilly weather here, and I was inspired to make this soup. Had I been planning ahead, I probably would have made bread bowls for it, but I wasn't and so I didn't, and it was still delicious.

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cooked and cubed
• 3 cups broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 4 carrots, chopped bite size
• 3-4 potatoes, peeled and chopped bite size
• 1 cup milk
• 4 Tbsp cream cheese
• 1 8oz. block of cream cheese, softened (and yes, I used 1/3 reduced fat and it tasted fine)

Saute onions in butter in the bottom of your soup pot until the onions are clear.
Add in chicken broth, carrots, and potatoes (broth should cover the veggies). Bring the broth to a boil and then simmer about 15 minutes - until the veggies are soft.

Once veggies are cooked, combine the milk and flour together and add that mixture to the soup pot. Chunk the cream cheese in a little at a time, stirring until the cheese melts completely into the soup. Add your chicken and heat through.
Serve and enjoy!

Okay, I don't have a picture for the cheesecake (I baked it late at night and took it the next morning to lunch after church), but I do have a picture of dinner the other night:




















Chicken bar-b-que pizza. I never thought I'd like it, but John LOVES bar-b-que pizza, so I made it. SO good! Just top your regular pizza with some bar-b-que, and eat. Yummy yummy!


But I do have the Brownie Cheesecake recipe for you (sans photo)

• 1 batch (a 9x9 or 8x8 pan will do) of your favorite brownie recipe, cut into small cubes (like 1 inch x 1 inch, or a little smaller)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 5 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 8oz. packages of cream cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla or so

And if you want the chocolate glaze (and I think you do...)

• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2-3 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp of vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt your 5 Tbsp of butter and mix in your cookie crumbs and sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan (you can double the amounts and make a 10 inch crust if you'd like).
Then, using a mixer, beat together your cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and combined. Stir in brownie chunks (if you use a 13 x 9 recipe, you'll have extra). Pour over crust and bake for 45 minutes.
Once completely cool, make the glaze.
Scald the butter and cream in a saucepan and then pour in the sugar, vanilla, and chips. Stir constantly until chips are melted. Spread over cheesecake and refridgerate until serving.
This cheesecake is absolutely heavenly!
Well, 2 days later and I am finally getting this posted. Enjoy the recipes, and this picture of the blueberry and raspberry jam I made the other night. Scrumptious!

Sweet Tooth Anyone?

Okay, I made these brownie bites for a wedding this past weekend, and they are some of my favorite treats! (My name is Emily, and I am addicted to brownies) The down side? The camera I took to the wedding was my film SLR (I know, I am SO early 2000's with that thing, but - incase you were wondering - I'm not allowing myself to get a digital SLR until... a little later. You know, when it's closer to baby time), so pictures of these yummies WILL be coming, but I have to first get the film developed and the negatives put on CD.

Anyway, these are 2 brownie bite recipes with the same base: brownies!

Brownies:
For the brownies, you can either use a box, OR you can make your own from scratch. Which way I handle this typically depends on how much time I have.

I'm going to share with you one of my favorite (quick and easy) brownie recipes:

• 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips (you're going to melt these, so if you want to experiment with some dark chocolate cut into chunks, etc. it's all good)
• 1 cup butter (I never promised this was healthy... If you want healthy brownies, I do have a recipe that calls for spinach. Just let me know.)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla (sometimes I add 2 - just to be rebelious)
• 4 eggs (I have substituted 2 of these with the equivalent measure of egg beaters with good results)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a medium saucepan on low (burnt chocolate does NOT taste yummy in brownies. Or in general). Once chips are melted and smooth, remove from heat, and add the sugar and vanilla to your pan. Stir until combined. Add eggs (or egg beater) one at a time, mixing each egg in fully as it is added. Then dump in your flour and salt and beat until you see air bubbles in the batter.
Now, if you want to make regular pan brownies, at this point you would pour this in a 13 x 9 pan and plce in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, then turn it down to 325 and bake 10 more minutes.
But us? We're making fancy brownie bites. So: Grab a mini miffin pan and spray it down with cooking spray. Spoon batter into the cups - about 2/3 full (I can usually get 24-28 brownies out of this, depending on how much batter I eat. :o).
Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 15-20. Just until the edges are done and the middle is just set. You don't want to over bake.
Pull out the brownies when done and let cool for 5 minutes. Then use the back of a spoon, melon baller, etc. to make a small indention in the center of the brownie. Remove from pan after 10 minutes and continue to cool.
Now you're ready for step 2!
Mint Topped Brownie Bites(The amounts here are for a full batch of brownies)

• 2 cups powedered sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 2 drops green food coloring
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 Tbsp butter
• Andes mints (optional)

In a medium bowl, beat your powdered sugar, melted butter, milk, peppermint extract, and food coloring with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon into the indention in the center of you cooled brownies.
Then, on low heat, melt your chocolate chips and 3 Tbsp butter in a saucepan until smooth. Spread this on top of your green mint mixture. Garnish with an Andes mint if desired and refridgerate until serving.
These are a crowd pleaser! But for MY favorite fancy brownie bite, let's talk
Tuxedo Brownies:
(Again, this is for a full brownie recipe)

• 2 oz. white chocolate (chips or baker's squares)
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1 8oz. package cream cheese (I always use the 1/3 reduced fat)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup cool whip (I always use lite - it's my favorite)
• Sliced strawberries (or other berries) for garnish (optional)

Melt the white chocolate and milk on high in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth.
Combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar using an electric mixer, beating until smooth. Slowly beat in white chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold in the cool whip.
Now your topping is ready to go on your brownies. You can spoon it into the indention, or, for a fancier look, I always use a cake decorating tip to pipe it into the indention. Either way, it will taste just as delicious! Garnish as desired and enjoy!