Fudgy Brownies

Fudgy brownies are something I don't have a lot of experience with, so for Halloween I tried this recipe. For Halloween this year I made cupcakes, cookies and these really good brownies. While shopping at Target one day I happened to find these aluminum foil little ghost shapes.

Fudgy Brownies

1/4 cup butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 60z semi-sweet baking chocolate
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray bottom of a 8x8 glass pan with non-stick spray.

Put the butter and chocolate chips in a medium microwaveable bowl and heat on high for 1 minute;stir. Heat for 30 seconds more and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

Add the sugar and stir until the sugar and chocolate mixture is completely combined.

Add the vanilla and eggs, and stir until the mixture is completely combined.

In a small bowl, combine the baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and flour;mix well to break up any lumps in the cocoa powder. Add to the chocolate mixture and stir until completely combined.

Bake for 26-28 minutes, or until the top of the brownies are flat and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean (you want a few moist crumbs to cling to the toothpick). Cool completely before cutting to get the best looking pieces.

Note: I just dusted them with powdered sugar and they were great. Carefully watch the baking time if you want moist brownies.
This recipe was found online on another blog (I forget which one).

Creme Brulee

My sister absolutely loves creme brulee and has been asking me to make it for her since the beginning of time. So this year for her birthday I decided to surprise her and make creme brulee. Of course I bought the wrong size ramekins because they were huge and could have fed two people instead of just one. Ooops!


Creme Brulee

2 cups heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, split
2 oz granulated sugar
5 egg yolks
granulated sugar, as needed

Heat the cream and the vanilla bean in a medium saucepan over medium high heat until bubbles appear along the sides of the pan.
Quickly whisk the sugar into the yolks.
When the cream is hot, slowly pour it into the yolk mixture. Whisk until well combined.
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a pitcher or large measuring cup. Scrape the vanilla bean with the tip of a paring knife to remove the remaining seeds; stir the seeds into the custard.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Arrange the ramekins in a 2 inch deep pan. Pour the custard into the ramekins. Set the pan of ramekins inside the preheated oven and then carefully pour enough water into the pan to come 2/3 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until just set, 45 to 50 minutes. The custard should be set, not soupy, with only a small area of jiggle in the center.
When the custards are done, carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the ramekins to cool in water bath. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before service or up to 2 days.
At service, sprinkle tops of custards with granulated sugar, then immediately caramelize the sugar with a blowtorch or broiler.
recipe from On Baking

Tips: Before putting custards into the oven, turn on your blowtorch and gently go over custards. This removes air bubbles.
I have never heard of letting the custards sit in the water bath after taking them out of the oven, I always dump the water right away. When you are doing this at home, I used a baster to remove the water because my oven is too low and too far from the sink. Plus, I am not a fan of hot water (too many bad memories and physical scars).

Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

This cinnamon swirl coffee cake is so yummy. Why? Because. Who doesn't love cake? Who doesn't love coffee cake for that matter? This recipe is simple, easy and quick, which is what I love. Bake this cake and enjoy the aroma.

Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

1/2 cup sugar
2 TB vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, beat together the first 1/2 cup sugar, oil,vanilla, and egg just until well mixed.
In another bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture and the milk alternately, by spoonfuls, to the egg mixture.
Stir well.
Mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon.
Pour the batter into a well-greased 8 inch square baking pan and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Using a knife, gently swirl the cinnamon sugar through the batter, folding it over in places, but leave it unevenly mixed. You should have some spots where the sugar is o the surface, and marbled into the batter in others.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are browned, and a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clen.
Serve warm or cold.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds-How to make roasted pumpkin seeds

I love carving a pumpkin each year, especially when I take out all the seeds and make roasted pumpkin seeds. And I love fall when the leaves change colors and everything looks so pretty. I especially love Halloween time when I carve at least one pumpkin every year. So instead of throwing out the seeds after you have scooped them out, why not roast them?!

Roasted pumpkin seeds

2 cups pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 TB melted butter
1 1/4 tsp coarse salt

Mix all together.
Spread on cookie sheet.
Bake at 250 degrees until brown and crisp.
Takes 15-20 minutes.

Pie Day

So I love pie...who doesn't? So this past Saturday I made two pies an apple pie and a strawberry rhubarb pie. I have a few tips for baking pies: preheat your oven and put a sheet pan (cookie sheet) into the oven, dock your bottom crust (prick it with a fork) and before you put the pie in the oven brush the top with a little eggwash ( a beaten egg and a little water) so that the pie will be golden brown and gorgeous.

Perfect Apple Pie

6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (6 medium)
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Tablespoon lemon juice


Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.

In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.

This recipe is from pillsbury.com.

My tips: place a sheet pan(cookie sheet) in the oven while it is preheating, a foil disposable pie pan can be used, dock(prick with a fork) the bottom crust before the filling is put in the crust, brush the pie with egg wash(beaten egg and a little water) before baking the pie, and if you brush the pie with egg wash well enough the edges won't have to be covered with foil.

The "perfect apple pie" before it was baked.




The "perfect apple pie" after it was baked until the apples were tender.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Pie

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 pound fresh rhubarb, chopped

2 pints fresh strawberries

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie

2 TB butter

1 egg yolk

2 TB white sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar. Add strawberries and chopped rhubarb. Toss with sugar and flour and let stand for 30 minutes.

Pour filling into pie crust. Dot top with butter, and cover with top crust. Seal edges of top and bottom crust with water.Apply yolk to top of pie, using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut small holes in top to let steam escape.

Bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly and brown. Cool on rack.

This recipe was found on allrecipes.com

Tips found on allrecipes.com: use a lattice top because it lets moisture out, let the filling set for the whole 30 minutes, and after it is baked, turn off the oven and let it sit in the oven for 15-20 minutes to let the fluids thicken.

My tips: use a pre-made crust if you are strapped for time, do not use all the liquid from the filling because it will overflow and make a huge mess(speaking from experience) and add a little water to the yolk.

The "strawberry and rhubarb pie" after it was bake til golden brown.

Helloooo

Ever since I can remember I've been in the kitchen. Helping cook or prepare or clean up, but this is where most and some of my fondest memories take place. Baking is in my blood. My is grandma the best baker I know and had some of the most sought after recipes that even caused a few family disputes. My mom makes the most awesome brownies ever that are a huge crowd pleaser and seldom is there ever a crumb left. I am quite the baker myself having all this talent running through my veins being the third generation and all. I am most fond of cookies and cupcakes, they are my achilles heel both to eat and make. There is just something about pipng frosting on a cupcake that makes me so proud and giddy with excitement (weird I know).