grown up brownies

Chocolate Mascarpone Brownies

BROWNIES:
1 cup unsalted butter
3 ounces best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup mascarpone cheese, softened
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp Salt


GANACHE:
6 ounces best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, finelychopped
6 Tbs whipping cream
3 Tbs unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter an 8-inch square pyrex pan.Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl; set aside. In a small glass bowl, melt butter in microwave (take it out before it starts bubbling.) Pour butter over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Sift in sugar and cocoa powder.
With a wooden spoon, beat in mascarpone, eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Gently fold in flour and salt.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Place into preheated oven and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
Place pan on cooling rack and let brownies cool 10 to 15 minutes while you make the ganache.
Place chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and butter to just below boiling point, over medium heat. Pour this hot mixture over the chocolate and let stand for 30 seconds, then stir until smooth. Pour ganache over brownies while still warm, and spread to cover evenly.
Let ganache firm up before cutting. It's best to refrigerate them until quite firm. Once the ganache is firm and the brownies have been cut, they do not need to be kept in the refrigerator.
Yield: About 16 brownies
i found this recipe & picture on recipegirl.com- it is AMAZING! i made two pans & brought one to dinner at my parent's in law's house & the whole pan was almost gone. it's very rich & fudgy & awesome. good times.
God bless

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

i made cookies today- like i need these: i found this recipe online...

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 sticks of butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
dash of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oats (regular, not quick cooking)
2 cups chocolate chips
Directions:
Cream together butter and sugar very well. Add eggs, vanilla, and syrup; beat well. Sift together flour, soda, seasonings, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture. Mix in oats, chips, and nuts. Scoop large balls of dough (about 2 tblsp) onto a greased cookie sheet and freeze until firm. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375° and remove dough from freezer (this keeps them from spreading too much). Arrange on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes-14 minutes. Cool 1 minute on pans and then remove to wire rack. yum!
God Bless

chocolate chocolate cake

I made a birthday cake today- tomorrow is a co-worker's b-day and since it was my b-day was last, i have to provide the cake this time around. i don't mind at all, because of my love for baking and this particular co-worker. she is the sweetest, quirkiest, craziest lady ever. she's also a new grandmother, so while i have to listen to accounts of her grandaughter's latest accomplishments, (i.e. blinking, smiling, pooping) i still love her. sooo, when i was told she like chocolate cake with chocolate icing went to work. in the end, this was the result:

i'm pretty excited about it- i don't really like chocolate on chocolate but i taste tested some and i think it's gonna be a hit. even brandon tried it and he dislikes chocolate on chocolate even more than i, and he said it was good. so i'm pleased.

it's basically just chocolate sponge cake (cut into 3 layers) with chocolate frosting (simple chocolate buttercream) after putting it together & frosting it, i pressed mini chocolate chips into the frosting- the 3 hearts on top are heart shaped York Peppermint Patties. woo hoo!

valentines day cupcakes

i came home & made two different valentine cupcakes:

#1 - buttercream(ish) frosting
this recipe was the much easier & healthier of the two. i'm excited to try them tomorrow!













#2 - cream cheese frosting
these ones came out awesome! they were a little more time consuming and rather fattening but SUPER yummy!

i'm pretty excited to send them off with my husband to work tomorrow. i hope they go over well!

Happy <3 Day!

mini chocolate chip muffins

i'm 24 today!!! brandon did well with my present this year- he got me a wonderful Coach bag- i <3>
hmmm- so we went to church & then panera & then coldstone & then came home. he watched the pro bowl (GOD what i would give to be in hawaii right now) & i made some mini chocolate chip muffins:


Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk (if buttermilk is unavailable, you may use regular whole milk)
1/2 cup semisweet miniature chocolate chips


Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350° degrees F/180° degrees Line a mini muffin pan with 18 (1 3/4-inch) mini muffin cup liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and buttermilk, and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients; scrape down the bowl as necessary. By hand, gently stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Divide batter evenly between lined muffin cups. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let stand in pans for 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2 dozen mini muffins.
they're good- just the perfect size for popping into your mouth & feeling bad 10 minutes later after you've eaten 3+. awesome

cornmeal banana pancakes

this morning i made cornmeal banana pankcakes. they were pretty good:

Cornmeal Banana Pancakes:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/8 tsp salt (pinch)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tblsp sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 tblsp oil
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 bananas sliced (optional)

Directions: sift together dry ingredients in a small bowl- wisk in the wet ingredients (minus the bananas) heat up a griddle or non-stick pan & add butter- pour batter into pan to desired pancake size- when the pancake just starts to bubble place desired amount of banana slices on top of pancake and flip. cook till firm (an addtl 1 -2 min) and transfer to plate. serve w/butter or maple syrup or whatever you eat pancakes with! enjoy.makes about 8 medium sized.

GO GIANTS!

big & chewy chocolate chip cookies

Big & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 325° degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets & they'll be chewy

yum!
well, back from our vacation to AZ & CA. it was sunny & warm there- and we've come back to snow & cold. nice.