Shout Out

My favorite sistur (well, my only sister.  But had there been more of us, she'd still be my favorite) also bakes.  I like to take credit for her mad skillz, but the fact is she's pretty darn tootin' creative on her own.  Enjoy!

http://www.lizzybakes.blogspot.com/

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

Time's a little tight in the mornings, so I like to prep as much as possible the night before.  This morning I had some apple cinnamon steel cut oats hot and ready for me when my alarm went off!

1 cup steel cut oats
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 1/2 cups water
1, 3" cinnamon stick
1 apple, peeled and diced
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
sweetener of choice, if desired
pinch salt

Combine above ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.  Season as desired. Ta-dah!

Chai Spiced Brownies

Ahem.  You're welcome.

1/2 cup butter
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 all-purpose flour (or GF blend)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger
1/3 cup chocolate chips

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over double boiler.  Stir sugar into chocolate mixture.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition just until combined.  Stir in the vanilla.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and spices.  Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture; stir just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips, reserving some for the top, if desired.

Spread batter into 8x8" pan lined with parchment. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake in a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes. 

Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

So, I bought a new muffin scoop.  And I'm an emotional brownie batter-eater.  And it's been a draining week.  AKA it's time for PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE CUPCAKES!

Cupcakes:

1 stick of butter

3 squares Baker’s chocolate

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt butter and baking sqaures in a double boiler. Add in sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add in eggs, beating one at a time. Add flour and cocoa powder and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill a muffin tin with muffin liners and fill each liner using a #20 scoop. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until brownie is set. The top with be a bit crunchy and the insides will be fudgey.

Peanut Butter Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream

5 oz (1/2 package) Reese's peanut butter chips

Heat heavy cream to a simmer.  Pour over chips.  Let sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

4 ounces  unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar sugar, sifted

1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Melt chocolate in a double boiler; cool to room temperature.  Beat butter until creamy; add in vanilla extract.  Beat in powdered sugar, a little at a time.  Add in melted chocolate and stir until combined. 

Cupcake Assembly:

Core cupcakes using a cupcake corer or paring knife.  Fill with peanut butter ganache.  Decorate using fudge frosting, sprinkles, peanut butter chips, peanut butter cups, and/or chocolate chips.   

Inspiration:

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/01/fudgey-brownie-cupcakes/  

http://www.joyofbaking.com/BrownieCupcakes.html#ixzz222y3trYJ

Cashew Thumbprint Cookies (Happy Birthday, Tyke!)

 Cashew, our "oops, we got a third" cat, turns one this July.  He was a street kitten back in the day, and he certainly still has an appetite like he's eating from restaurant dumpsters.  Happy 1st Birthday to our little Tyke!

Cashew Thumbprint Cookies

AKA "these are like the best cookies ever" cookies

(adapted from The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book by Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough)

1 stick (8 Tbs) cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks
6 Tbs creamy cashew butter
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (or GF flour)
1/4 tsp salt, optional
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten in a small bowl
1 1/2 cups finely ground, roasted cashews, placed on a large plate
1/2 cup jelly, flavor of choice

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Beat the butter and cashew butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar; continue beating until light and pale brown, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.  Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until smooth.  Add the flour and salt, if using, until combined.

Scoop cookie dough (I use a #40 scooper), dip it fully in the beaten egg whites, then roll in the ground cashews.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Continue making the cookies, spacing them about 2" apart.

Bake for 10 minutes, then take the tray out of the oven.  Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make a small indentation in each cookie without pressing to the baking sheet underneath.  Place 1 tsp jelly in each indentation.  Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue taking until the cookies have dry, firm edges, are lightly browned, and the jelly has melted, about 10 more minutes.  Cook the cookies on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  The cookies can be stored in an airtight container, between sheets of wax paper, for up to 3 days.  Makes 1.5 dozen.

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Waffles. F'real.

And in the morning, I'm makin' waffles! And they're all sorts of allergen friendly.  And not at all revolting.  Here you go:

1 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend (see below)
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
pinch xanthan gum*
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or your dairy free beverage of choice)
1/2 cup oil
1 t vanilla

*Note: the GF flour blend I make has xanthan gum in the mix...I just added a teensy bit more since I was using the buckwheat and sorghum flours.  The xanthan gum package also has suggested amounts.

**Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens waffle recipe

GF flour blend -- I keep this mixed up on my counter at all times:
1 1/4 C (170 g) brown rice flour
1 1/4 C (205 g) white rice flour
1 C (120 g) tapioca flour
1 C (165 g) sweet rice flour
2 scant tsp. xanthan gum

In a medium bowl stir together the flours, sugar, and baking powder.  Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside.

In another bowl beat eggs slightly; stir in almond milk, oil, and vanilla.  Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture.  Stir just until moistened.

Pour 1 to 1 1/4 cups of batter onto grids of a preheated, lightly greased waffle baker.  Close lid quickly; do not open until done.  Bake according to manufacturer's directions.  When done, use a fork to lift waffle off grid.  Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm.  

Cookie Split Ice Cream Sandos

I've been making these two tone cookies for years, ever since I borrowed the idea from a lil sandwich shop back home: http://openfacesandwicheatery.com/. I just use my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, divide the dough in half, and add cocoa powder to one half. 

Today I decided to turn these bad boys into ice cream sandwiches!  We've been having unusually nice weather in Portland so the ice cream was a tad melty.  You can customize these by spreading Nutella or a nut butter on the cookies before sandwiching them, rolling the edges in sprinkles/nuts/chocolate chips/candy, or switching up the ice cream flavor.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or the gluten free blend, in my case)
• 1, 12-ounce package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips 
• 2 Tbs cocoa powder
• 1.5 quart container vanilla ice cream

In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, and baking soda.  Beat until mixture is combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour.  Stir in chocolate chips.  


Put half the dough in a separate bowl and mix in cocoa powder.  Use a cookie scoop (I have a #40 scooper) to ball up the light dough, then follow up with the dark.  Take one ball of each flavor and roll into one large ball.  Place on a cookie sheet with the seam in the middle.  *I like to freeze my cookie dough balls before baking...the final product is fluffier!* Bake @ 350F for 15-17 minutes. 


Let cookies cool and scoop vanilla ice cream onto flat side of one cookie, then top with a second cookie.  Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment and store in freezer until ready to eat. 

Aaaaand I'm off to the gym.