Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

I haven’t been baking  like I used to.  I do bake when the grandkids come to visit.  Either I make cupcakes for them to frost and decorate or I make cookies.  They like some kind of chocolate cookie, either a chocolate chipper or a real chocolate cookie.  These cookies are filled with that wonderful ingredient and taste outrageously CHOCOLATE.

The parents monitor the amount the kids eat.  If you are a parent who are blessed with living parents, please let the kids indulge a bit with the grandma’s and grandpops or in our case, the Bubbys and Zaidys.  I am good and don’t say a word but these are bonding moments and memories for the little ones and they mean the world to us.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies   From Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (adapted)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
• 4 tablespoons margarine
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (packed) light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 8 ounces chocolate cut into chunks (small)

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Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high-speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate. Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Using cookie scoop (teaspoon or tablespoon – baking time varies), drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers,9 – 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

These are yummy.

This may be linked to the following:   See Ya in the Gumbo      Mealtime Monday       Meatless Monday

Blueberry Crumble

I asked my husband to bring home blueberries from Costco, days ago.  As each day went by, I thought of all those blueberries and what I was going to do with them but nothing happened.  I am rational and did not want to lose these beauties so I decided to make a Crumble.  Crumbles are basically the same and this one is no different.  They are usually good and this one is no different.

Blueberry Crumble 

I found the recipe on delish.com and made a few changes but basically this is it.

English: A pack of blueberries from a organic farm co-op program. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries , or other fruit
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour mix
• 1 tablespoon(s) orange juice
• 1 cup Crumble  (below)

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg F.
2. Toss berries with sugar, flour and juice. 
3. Place in a casserole or pie plate and cover with the delicious crumble.

Ingredients for Crumble

• ---

  1 1/2 cup(s) old-fashioned rolled oats

• 3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 cup  brown sugar
• 1/3 cup(s) brown rice flour (your choice)
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons canola oil

Directions

1. Combine oats, nuts, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir until well blended. Drizzle oil over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly moistened.  Place on top of berry mixture.

This is linked to Mop It Up Mondays              Mealtime Mondays           My Meatless Mondays       Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

Savory Avocado Cake – Power Foods

This week, our power food is the avocado.  If you have followed my adventures, you know that the artichoke was a new experience for me and asparagus was a vegetable, my hubby detested and now we go to a favorite of mine, the avocado.  I do have to tell you that hubby is not crazy about avocado but as I have been adding it more and more into dishes,  he is eating it, without making a face.  When, I made today’s recipe, I didn’t tell him about the avocado and he really liked this.

Fruits of avocado (Persea americana) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let me assure you, I am not being sneaky when I do this.  I trust my husband enough to know that he understands when I “hide”  a food in a recipe.  If he doesn’t like it, he says so and that is the end of it.  If in the case of the last two, he really has come around a little.  When I made asparagus for a second time, he helped himself to some.  The funniest part of this is that it is the artichoke, he never wants to see again and that he did not have an aversion to.  Of course, he most likely, never has eaten one.

The avocado has monounsaturated fats which may lower the level of  LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise the good cholesterol (HDL).  High in fiber and potassium, they are easy to choose as an aid to good health.  I was surprised to find out that an avocado has more potassium than the banana.

I have never made or thought about a savory cake other than a cheesecake.  I will vouch for how good savory cheesecakes are.  So, maybe a savory cake would also be good.  If you add corn meal, yes, it works.  The best part is that my husband who doesn’t like avocado loved it.

What I liked about this is that by adding avocado, there is no need for any fats, no butter, margarine or oil.  At least, the fat in an avocado is the healthy kind

Savory Avocado Cake

11/2 cup gluten-free  flour mixture

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 egg beaters

1/4 cup Rice milk

1 whole avocado

1/4 small tomato cut into pieces

   

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl mix flour, cornmeal, sugar baking powder and salt

 Cut and seed avocado. In a food processor (I used my mini) process avocado and tomato until smooth.  My tomatoes stayed in small chunks  but my goal was smooth.

Mix eggs into the gluten-free flour mixture, one at a time. Add milk and avocado. Mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated

 Grease 2 loaf pans or 6 mini cakes or mini bundts or (I think – a regular sized bundt pan)

Bake the minis  for 25 minutes or until the tops start to turn golden brown.  Bake the loaves for 35 – 40 minutes.  

This is our group.  Stop by their blogs and see what they did with the mighty avocado.  You might want to look through their blogs.  They are new to me and I am finding a lot of value in each of them.

Alyce - More Time at the Table
Ansh - Spice Roots,
Casey - Bookcase Foodie  – Me

Jeanette -Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Jill - Saucy Cooks
Martha - Simple-Nourished-Living
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits,
Sarah - Everything in the Kitchen Sink

This is linked to

Mix it Up Monday              Inspire me Monday                    My Meatless Mondays           Jam’s Corner

Savory Tomato Crisp – The Food Matters Project

In the midst of doing report cards means cooking with one hand holding a pen and the other a spatula.  That is an exaggeration since report cards are done on the computer.  The time it steals from life, to accomplish decent cards, can be tremendous.  Although, it is done in a week’s time, I find that anything I cook or bake is not done with full concentration so it is a minor miracle when something comes out right.

I baked a cake and almost left out the sugar.  In the oven went a baked dish and guess who walked away and forgot to put on the timer.  This is what it is like, for the week.  A bunch of minor incidents.  All the food has been saved.

My point is that since I am talking about too much topping, perhaps, I didn’t follow the directions.  I am looking forward to checking out other foodies, found here.

This recipe had lots of appeal.  I made a tomato crisp, years ago and it was a huge success.  I was ready to try another one, particularly one from Food Matters by our guy, Mark Bittman.  The topping on mine was quite heavy with good “stuff” but it seemed like too much and when I cut the first piece, crumbs flew all over.

I didn’t think it was possible but this topping was too crisp for me even though the combination that made it up had only the best, oatmeal and nuts, as starters.

We did like it and I would make it again but I would cut the topping.

Savory Tomato Crisp was chosen by Nicole from the Giving Table and despite my battle with the topping, I think, it is a great choice.  I am wondering how it would be with cauliflower or broccoli.

This is linked to Gallery of Favorites        Mop it Up Mondays        Breakfast Ideas Monday       Gluten-Free Weekly Meal Plan Linky         Made From Scratch Monday

Mocha Cake – Ellie Krieger

I have been offline for three days and as busy as I was, I did not forget my blog and blogging friends.  We ate well for the holiday and I plan to share some of the recipes with you.  Thanks for being patient.

Here is a yummy cake to make up for three days absence.

Mocha Cake

This is a rich mocha cake, more like a chocolate one with a creamy cream cheese topping.                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Directions

For the cake:

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 1/4 brown rice flour mixture

1/2 cup Dutch processed cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons melted  margarine

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 eggs

2 egg whites

1 1/2 cups low-fat yogurt  

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water   

2 ounces good-quality dark chocolate

For the frosting:

1 (8-ounce) bar cream cheese  (light)

1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon instant coffee dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water

1 teaspoon  vanilla

1 small square chocolate

Viennese Crunch (as much as you would enjoy)

Method:

Arrange rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.  (made in square)

Whisk together flours, cocoa, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl, then sift ingredients through a fine mesh strainer.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted margarine and oil. Add eggs and egg whites and whisk to incorporate.

Fold in yogurt, vanilla, sugar and dissolved coffee powder.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 90 seconds or over a double boiler. Fold chocolate into batter.

Gradually add sifted dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated; do not overbeat.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cake has risen nicely and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool completely.

Fruit and Veggie Muffins

I have done little baking here and I must add some recipes.  I made these wonderful muffins, using my food processor to do the chopping, making this an easy recipe to achieve.  I debated making mini muffins because they are so cute  but there is so much goodness in these, I decided on the full size.  

Pears and carrots may sound odd together but they are not.  They went together like peanut butter and jelly and were much more delicious.

Making muffins always presents a problem for me.  There are so many muffins, I want to make, with a multitude of combinations of ingredients.  When, I decide to make one, I can’t make a decision.  I really wanted to make a cheesy muffin and owe myself that opportunity.

Fruit and Veggie Muffins  (adapted from Recipe for Living)

Ingredients

• 2 cups. shredded cored, peeled pears
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup chopped cranberries  (the food processor did not do a great job chopping these but it makes no difference)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2-1/2 cups gluten-free flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Canola oil

Method:

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix pears, cranberries, carrots, and nuts  Stir gently to combine.

Sift dry ingredients.  Add to sugar mixture and stir well.

Stir in eggs and oil and mix gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes; remove to wire rack.

 Makes 12 large muffins.

This is linked to Hearth and Soul with Alea    Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays with Amy

Dotty Cookies

Dotty Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Poppy Seeds

I hesitated before I made these cookies.  Poppy seeds and chocolate chips sounded like they were from different planets.  I made them, anyway and the two blended nicely.

Today’s cooking and baking has changed dramatically and we tend to mix and match in all kinds of dishes.  Some of the strangest blends make the best dishes.  Why was I surprised these worked out?

Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free flour mixture
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips,
  

Directions

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
•  Beat in egg yolks and vanilla.
•  Combine the flour, poppy seeds and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
• Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
• Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each.
• Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Immediately make an indentation in the center again.
• Remove to wire racks to cool slightly; fill with  chocolate.

 

This is linked to Mix It Up Mondays        Inspire Me Mondays       Scrumptious Sunday Link Party       Trick or Treat Tuesday      Hearth and Soul  

Gluten Free Wednesdays

Cranberry Apple Walnut Cake

I love to bake and I have not been doing too much of it.  Usually, I bake for my husband.  I rarely eat what I bake but he makes up for that.  The problem, I do have, is that with only two of us, at home, it is for special occasions, I make the chocolate and the cookies, pies or cakes.  For my husband, it is coffee cakes, nut cakes, and tons of muffins.  They are all easy to do and I am limited but I love to bake, anyway.

I decided to surprise my husband with what I hoped would become a favorite cake.  This cake can be made with many variations.  In fact, the original recipe from Better Homes and Gardens is for a cranberry pear cake.  I changed it to an apple – cranberry walnut cake because I have apples handy.  I would like to make it with pears and use another dried fruit or maybe fresh cranberries, when in season.  Of course, the nuts can be changed as well.  Even the seasoning lends itself to the fruit selected.  Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice sounded right for the apples.

Cranberry-Apple-Walnut Cake

Ingredients

2  cups gluten-free flour mixture

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 pumpkin pie spice

2 tablespoons margarine

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup  brown sugar

2 eggs

 1  cup Rice Dream

1 cup dried cranberries

2 apples, peeled and diced

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup additional gluten-free flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour a  9-inch baking pan.

Combine 2 cups of the  GF flour mix, baking powder, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.

In a large bowl beat the margarine on medium to high

speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sugars.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.

Add flour mixture alternately with Rice Dream beating on low after each addition until combined.

In a bowl mix cranberries, apple, and walnuts with remaining 1/2 cup flour. Stir into batter. Spoon into prepared pan.

Bake for  50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes .

This is linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays        Cozy Home Party     Trick or Treat Tuesday         Pennywise Platter 

Crazy Sweet Tuesday       Full Plate Thursday             Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays     Cast Party Wednesday           Sweet Treats Thursday        Sweet Tooth Friday

Passover Blondies with Chocolate Chips

The first two days of Passover are over and frankly, I am exhausted.  They were wonderful days, filled to the brim.  We had our youngest son with his little ones, over and they happily dominated our days and most important the seder.  To see such little kids know so much about what is done and participating is heartwarming.  The youngest, not yet two fell in love with the potatoes.  Every time, she came into the living room, she had a raw potato in each hand.  This was cute until her 4 year old brother threw a potato at her.   It didn’t faze her.  No more potatoes for a while.

The seders are always enriching.  Going through the rituals do bring us to a closer understanding of what our ancestors went through and how brave they were.

Right now, I am ready to go to sleep although, I doubt that is going to happen.  I will be back, hopefully with some  more of the dishes, I made.  We did eat well.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The kids ate these up with gusto and so did we. 

Pesach Blondies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup potato starch
3/4 cup ground almonds .
1 cup chocolate chips (I added more)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x 13 pan.

Mix eggs, sugars, and oil together. Add  vanilla, potato starch and baking powder.

Mix until each ingredient is incorporated into the batter.

Add chocolate chips and mix into batter.  (Mine went to the bottom.)

Pour into pan and bake for 35 minutes or until a sharp knife comes out clean.

Cool completely.  Cut into squares.  I made  32 squares.

I guess these can be iced but they are rich and easy to pick up and stay clean.  That is a consideration with little kids all over the house.

This is linked to Sweet Temptations      

Domino Cookies

Do you hear the knocking on the door?  Who could it be?  You weren’t expecting anyone?  Throw the kid’s mitt behind the chair, wipe off the table, hide the newspaper and smile.  Say, “Hi, Aunt Mary, what a surprise ……. and you brought the 6 kids.  How delightful?  Are you staying for a while?  You are?????? Oh. Um.  How wonderful.  Where did the children go?  No kids, get off of the dining room table……..”

After you have everyone seated, except for the two, climbing over the couch with their shoes on, and the little one, pulling off his diaper, you offer a snack.  Everyone is thrilled and the kids begin to chant, “Cookie, cookie, cookie, cookie”.  What do you do?

You pull an empty pie crust out of the freezer and leave it on the counter while you get the six-year-old off of the buffet.  Why is the 8-year-old cutting up your magazines?  That is Cooking Light ——-NO NO NO.  By the time, you get them seated, Aunt Mary is playing games on your computer and the kids are back to chanting, “Cookie.”

Brave you takes the children back to the kitchen and tell them they can use your cookie cutters.  Fortunately, the older daughter seems to know what she is doing and she even rolls out the pie crust dough and starts to cut out stars and circles.  You get the chocolate chips, the cookie sheet and parchment paper and leave her, in charge, while you go in the closet, and cry.

When you emerge, you see wonderful domino cookies, made in a jiffy and yummy to taste.

Ingredients

One pie crust

chocolate chips

cinnamon sugar – optional

What to do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the dough.

Cut out shapes with cookie cutter.

Place chips in pattern, you desire.

Bake at 400 degrees F, checking at 5 minutes.  I made a few batches, some were ready at 5 minutes, others need an extra minute or 2.  I would check at 5 minutes and if they have browned slightly on the bottom, remove from oven.

Cool for a few minutes.  I took mine off  right away and they stayed intact.  I sprinkled a little cinnamon sugar on top of the cookies, when I put the chocolate chips on.;

Eat every crumb.

I hope that Emily, John, Major, Leah, Sam and Penny are happy with their cookies and have gone home and given you some peace.  You should wake up Aunt Mary so she can catch up with the children.

This is linked to Sweet and Simple Sunday      What Makes you Say Mmmm?    Gallery of Favorites    Hearth and Soul    A Little Birdie Told Me