gooey fudge brownies.

Today I got back from doing a wedding in Lake Geneva, and had a major chocolate craving. Brownies. I wanted decadent, gooey, fudgy brownies, with a rich frosting. So amidst the chaos of unpacking and preparing to head to LA tomorrow for another wedding, I popped out a pan of richness. I forgot to capture the finished product; my craving was too strong and I dug right in.

Use quality cocoa, it makes all the difference.

Ready to bake. Make sure to snag a bite of batter.

Frosting!

Baked and ready to assemble, with a few mini chocolate chips to sprinkle on top.

Gooey Fudge Brownies:
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder (Ghiradelli is the BEST)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Frosting (recipe below)
Toppings (chopped nuts, chocolate chips, coconut)

Stir the sugar into the melted butter. Add vanilla and eggs and beat well. Mix in flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder and stir until well combined. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan and bake for about 22 minutes. I like my brownies a bit undercooked, so add time if you like them well done. Remove from the oven and let them cool. Spread with frosting and add toppings!

... if you cant wait, and must have one right away, cut a piece of the warm brownie, and top with a Tablespoon of frosting. It gets melty and delicious...

Fluffy Frosting:
3 Tablespoons Soft Butter
1 teaspoon corn syrup
3 Tablespoons Cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tablespoons milk

With a beater, mix butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar. Beat in milk until you reach your desired consistency. Spread on brownies once they are cooled.

butternut squash flatbread.

This past week was spent in Northern California, coordinating a wedding and spending time with friends. During the rehearsal dinner, the mother of the groom mentioned that she looked for the butternut squash flatbread recipe on my blog and had trouble finding it. She happens to be one of the sweetest, most kind women I have met, and it was so fun to sit over dinner and chat about great food. She has had quite her training in the kitchen, cooking for four boys and a husband. In her honor, I am re-posting this recipe. Also, you should check out her blog here.

I have made this so many times, and it always wins over the crowds, even the picky eaters.

Butternut Squash Flatbread

Make it square or make it round...

Butternut Squash Flatbread

Premade pizza dough (trader joes has it for $1!), or homemade (recipe here)
1 cup cooked, cubed butternut squash, or roasted sweet potatoes!
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1/2 cup of sunflower seeds or pine nuts
1 teaspoon chopped garlic or garlic salt
Italian seasonings to taste!
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Use either the whole trader joes dough or half of the homemade recipe, and spread on a well greased cookie sheet or a cornmealed pizza stone.
Mix all of the remaining ingredients. Spread on the dough.
Cover entire flatbread with 1 Cup of cheese (most varieties work, i use cheddar most often)
Drizzle with olive oil.
Bake at 400degrees for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.  Easy. And phenomenal.

Enjoy Joyce!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Butternut Squash works great!

Round!

thai chicken peanut wraps.

Thai Chicken Peanut Wraps

I love peanut sauce. I could probably stick a straw in it and drink it. Yuck, that actually sounds gross, but may be true. For our final "soup group" with my four RA's, I made Thai Chicken Peanut Wraps. I have made them a couple of times before. They always go over so well, and are simple and filling. The peanut sauce is such a kicker, and adds so much good flavor. You won't be disappointed. I promise.

Broccoli slaw and red onion, sauteed

Thai Chicken Peanut Wraps:
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 cup water
8 flour tortillas
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced thinly
1 package broccoli slaw
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and sliced thinly

In a small saucepan, heat peanut butter, water, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir continually, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Set aside.

In a large pan, heat oil. Add onion and broccoli slaw and saute for about 3 minutes, or until just a bit tender.

Warm the tortillas, wrapped in a towel, in the microwave for about a minute. To assemble the wraps, spread peanut sauce on a warm tortilla and top with chicken and broccoli mixture. Wrap, like a taco, and enjoy!

With roasted sweet potatoes, veggies and hummus

buttermilk banana pancakes.

Buttermilk Banana Pancakes

We had our last Friday breakfast this past week. It was quite sad... those mornings are ones that I will cherish. I loved lingering over coffee, waking up to unlimited amounts of caffeine and good conversation. Next time I make breakfast for Kristy and Bekah, I will be moved into a new apartment in the city. Hopefully with a patio, so we can eat outside.
For this breakfast, I made a classic for breakfast; buttermilk banana pancakes. I also made a veggie scrambler with sharp cheddar.

Buttermilk Banana Pancakes:
1 banana, sliced
1 cup flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 Tablespoon butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk

Mix all dry ingredients. Add wet, and mix until blended. It is fine for the batter to be a bit lumpy.
Heat skillet and spray with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto the skillet. Place 4-5 banana slices in the batter. Repeat with remaining batter. When the pancake is bubbly, flip over and cook until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Serve pancakes with powdered sugar and warm maple syrup.

Veggie Scrambler with Sharp Cheddar

Veggie Scrambler with Sharp Cheddar
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced peppers
1/4 cup sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced onions
3 slices, or 1/3 cup sharp cheddar

In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and salt.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add veggies and cook for about 2 minutes, or until they begin to saute. Add egg mixture, and cook, stirring occasionally until eggs are well done. Top with cheddar cheese, and allow cheese to melt before serving.

pear and chocolate tart

Pear and Chocolate Tart

So, I graduated this weekend. I got my Masters. That is crazy. It is remarkable to think that its over; I am ecstatic, but also a bit sad. This has been my home for the past two years, and while I am so pumped to begin a new season, I am also grieving the thought of leaving people.

On Friday, my program had a potluck barbeque to hang-out one last time before graduation, and to introduce our parents and families to one another. I wanted to bring a dessert, and needed something fast and easy. This is a free-form pear and chocolate tart. It is so basic and really great for a potluck. 

Baked on a cookie sheet or pizza stone

Pear and Chocolate Tart
1/2 cup butter, diced
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 Pears, peeled and sliced thinly
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used white and dark)
1 Tablespoon Milk

Dump the flour, salt and powdered sugar onto a working surface. Make a indent in the middle and crack the eggs into the flour. Add the butter and begin to mix with your fingertips until all ingredients are well incorporated. Knead until the dough can form a ball. Cover and place in refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

After dough is chilled, roll it out into a circle with a diameter of about 13 inches. Place on a cookie sheet or a pizza stone lined with tin foil. Toss the pears with brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Pour onto the dough, leaving a half-inch border all the way around. Cover with the chocolate chips. Fold the sides of the dough up around the pear mixture. (See below). Brush the dough with milk.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden and pears are tender. Serve warm in squares or slices. Its great with ice cream!

Fold dough up around pear mixture.

mozzarella and parsley flatbread.

Mozzarella and Parsley Flatbread

I have made flatbreads before. They are a staple of mine, mostly because they are so easy and you can be so creative with them. This one is SUPER basic. It's fresh mozzarella, parsley, and olive oil, with some extra seasonings. If you don't own a pizza stone, invest in one. It is one of the most fabulous things to have in a kitchen.

Mozzarella and Parsley Flatbread
1 portion of pizza dough (recipe below)
8oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
oregano, basil, garlic salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle a large pizza stone with cornmeal. Spread dough out to fill the stone. Cover with mozzarella, parsley, and seasonings. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and let it stand for about 5 minutes before cutting it into serving squares. 

Pre-baked

Golden and bubbly.

Basic Pizza Dough
(Makes two portions)
1 cup hot water
1 package yeast
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour

Dissolve sugar and yeast into hot water. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Add flour and salt, and mix until combined. Turn out onto well-floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Return to a well-greased bowl, cover and let it rise for 45 minutes. Punch down the dough, and let it rise for 30 more minutes. Divide into two portions then use. (You can freeze the portion that you don't use for another day!)

more thai.

Rice Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Rice Noodles with Peanut Sauce
8oz Rice Noodles
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 water
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons oil
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 medium sliced onion
1 cup bean sprouts
parsely
chopped peanuts for garnish

Boil 2 quarts of water. Pour over noodles and let them soak for 5 minutes. Rinse and set aside.
In a saucepan, heat oil. Add chopped garlic and onion and saute until golden, about 4 minutes. Add peanut butter, water, soy, and sugar. Stir until well mixed and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Toss noodles in the sauce until well coated. Top with bean sprouts, parsley, and chopped peanuts, then serve.

Rinse noodles in cold water

Simple. And grand.

And... I like this song. Check it out.
Seabird... "Rescue"