brownies

I've never made a lot of brownies before, so i figured i'd start now. You have to have a go to recipe for these chocolate delights right? So i looked around and saw what other people were doing and made up my own basic recipe from there. What a fluke though, these turned out great! A huge hit with hubby and the kid!


Basic Chocolate Brownies

3/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tspn vanilla
3 large eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips/chunks

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
Line an 8x8 or 9x9 square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Add the vanilla and sugar to the melted butter. Stir well.
Mix in the cocoa powder.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Pour the chocolate mixture into the bowl and whisk in with the eggs until well combined. Stir in the flour and chocolate chunks, but do not over mix.

Pour batter into the previously prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Let the brownies cool for about 15-20 minutes. Remove parchment paper (with brownies) from the pan. Peel away the parchment paper and cut the brownies into serving size pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.

These were really scrumptious! After two or three days (when they start to dry up a little round the edges) we just crumbled them up into vanilla ice-cream...mmmhmmm...!!

sweet cornbread muffins

The little man of the house LOVES cornbread, it's got to be the most requested item after waffles and hot chocolate! So i've been looking around for more ways to use cornmeal and here is one of the recipes i found to try.....


Sweet Cornbread Muffins
Original recipe from Eating Out Loud
Recipe below is how i made them =)

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup oil
1 cup milk

In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add beaten egg, oil and milk, stirring until just combined.

Fill muffin cups 1/2 full, then put a small dollop of strawberry jam in the centre, 1/2 tsp for mini's, 1 tsp for large muffins. Then top the muffins with more batter until they are 3/4 full.

Bake at 400F (200C) for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
(mini muffins took about 10 mins)

Allow the muffins to cool slightly before removing from the muffin tin.
These are delicious while still warm!

homemade fig newtons

Look at those gorgeous biscuits.....


To think it all started with 87c packets of dried figs!!


The delicious end result of boiling apple juice, water, dried figs, sugar and orange zest!


Filling the strips of rolled dough with fig jam......


Filled, rolled and cut cookies ready to bake!


Homemade Fig Newtons
Original Recipe @ The Boastful Baker
This recipe below is how i made them =)

Filling:
1 cup finely chopped dried figs
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon grated orange zest

Cookie Dough:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Make the filling: Combine the figs, water, apple juice and sugar in a medium sauceapan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a bare simmer for 1-2 hours until the figs are so soft that they’re spreadable.

2. Transfer to a food processor or blender, add the orange zest and process until smooth. Remove from the food processor and allow to cool.
(i don't have a food processor, so mine was a little chunky, but we loved it!!)

3. Make the dough: Cream together the butter, sugar and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, for 2-3 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and paddle. Add the egg and vanilla and beat in. Scrape down the bowl and paddle again. Add the flour and beat on low speed until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

4. Place racks in middle and lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12 x 16 rectangle. Cut into 4 equal strips, each 12 x 4 inches. Spoon a line of filling down the center of each strip. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges together. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheets, seam side down.

6. Using a super sharp knife, slice each log into 10 cookies. (Pop the logs in the freezer for 10 minutes before slicing them.) Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through, for 12-15 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack.