Amaretto Brownies

I was wanting to make some brownies for the family picnic today...so I looked through my cookbooks.  I saw a recipe but I wanted to give it a little something extra.  I love amaretto...

Pic taken with my phone...not bad!

Amaretto Brownies

2 sticks butter, melted

2 cups sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract (I think it needed a little more)

4 eggs

3/4 cup cocoa

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

optional: sliced almonds for topping

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking pan.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add cocoa.  Mix until well blended.  Add flour, baking powder, and salt, beating well.  Pour into greased baking pan.  (OPTIONAL: sprinkle sliced almonds on top)  Bake for 30-35 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.

"Healthy" Banana Brownies

I had a bunch of bananas that were getting really ripe.  My daughter kept wanting apples instead of bananas, so the apples got used up before the bananas.  I wasn't in the mood for ANOTHER banana bread.  I googled for recipes and this one looked good to me.  


It is good for a "healthy" dessert.  Well, to me, it is.  It's lowfat and has fiber in it, and low calorie.  I had everything on hand for it, as well.  The original recipe asked for 1 cup of flour, which made the batter really watery, so I added another 1/2 cup and it turned out ok.  


If you're looking for a brownie that's not too sweet and not too rich,  moist, springy, and cakey brownie...then this is the recipe for ya!

Banana Brownies

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup boiling water
• 4 egg whites
• 3 medium mashed bananas
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. in a bowl combine oats & water, let stand 5 minutes.
2. beat egg whites, bananas, sugar, oil & vanilla until blended, then add the moistened oats.
3. combine dry ingredients, slowly add to wet mixture.
4. spread into 13x9 inch pan (sprayed with cooking spray).
5. bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
6. cool, cut into bars.

My 21 month old daughter LOVES 'em!  She had one little piece and kept wanting more and more. :)  Much better than giving her Oreos and other junk food! :)

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

There was a deaf camp here in town, and to get a free dinner (rather than pay $6 each for me and my husband), we had to bring a dish each. I had a few very ripe bananas that I needed to use up, so I googled recipes for a banana cake recipe. I found this recipe at http://www.recipezaar.com/Best-Ever-Banana-Cake-With-Cream-Cheese-Frosting-67256 and decided to try it out. I used my own frosting recipe instead of the one with the cake recipe, because the original recipe called for too much powdered sugar, which I find too sweet.

It was so easy compared with the other recipes I've tried, even though it took a little longer. It turned out really good. A few people actually asked who made the cake, so it was THAT good.

If you don't want to click on the link above, here's the original recipe below. I've also added my own recipe for my cream cheese frosting, because the original frosting recipe is too sweet for my tastes.

NOTE: The reviews and the author's comment on the recipe stated that for some people, it took an hour 10 min to an hour 30 minutes to bake this cake. For my oven, it took me one hour and 30 minutes for the cake to reach doneness. And the freezer trick does seem to make it really moist. Another thing to mention, I had no lemon juice on hand, so I used 2 tbsp orange juice to go with the mashed bananas, and 1 tbsp vinegar to mix with regular milk to subsitute for buttermilk. It worked out good for me.

BEST EVER BANANA CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• 1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/8 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

FROSTING

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups icing sugar

GARNISH

• chopped walnuts

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 275°.

2. 2

   Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.

3. 3

   In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.

4. 4

   In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

5. 5

   In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.

6. 6

   Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.

7. 7

   Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

8. 8

   Stir in banana mixture.

9. 9

   Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

10. 10

    Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.

11. 11

    For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.

12. 12

    Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

13. 13

    Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.

14. 14

    Spread on cooled cake.

15. 15

    Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.

My cream cheese frosting recipe:

1 8oz block of cream cheese, softened, not melted

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), softened, not melted

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Whip butter and cream cheese together (I used my Kitchenaid...I love it so much!) until fluffy. Add vanilla, and then slowly add powdered sugar (you don't want white powder all over the place, right?), and whip until fluffy. I usually leave my Kitchenaid going for about 10 minutes almost full speed, using the whisk beater...makes for a very fluffy and smooth cream cheese frosting.

Tie-Dye Cupcakes

It's been a while since I last posted. Guess what? We are gonna have a baby...due in about 7 weeks! It's amazing how time has gone by so fast!

Well, here's my latest food adventure: Tie-Dye Cupcakes.

I had been reading some cooking blogs online, and for some reason, those cupcakes caught my eye. They looked like fun to make, so I did a little research. They look hard and complicated to make, but they're actually really simple. Just a few extra bowls and spoons to wash.

All you really need is:

• *white cake batter (either mix or homemade)
  
• *food coloring
• *frosting (if you want)
• *bowls
• *spoons
• *muffin pan

With this one, I used a white cake mix and made batter according to the directions on the box.

4 bowls of plain batter, a box of food coloring (neon!) and the cake mix box.

Hubby wanted to join in, and he had a blast adding the food coloring. His shirt says it all!

Hubby and me spooning the different colors in each cup (no mixing! Just gently spooning each color on top of each other randomly).

Cupcakes getting ready to warm up in the preheated oven (350F according to the box directions).

Same batch of cupcakes all baked up beautifully!

Close up of the first batch of cupcakes

Close up of the cupcake that I just had to try. It looked sooooo good, after frosting it with homemade buttercream frosting.

Now startin' to undress the sweet cupcake...

Beautiful insides. Definitely looks tie-dyed, huh? :) It was definitely yummy.


Buttercream frosting recipe (from the C&H powdered sugar box)

1 lb. box of powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk (I added a little bit more since it was so thick)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick salted butter (softened)

Beat with electric mixer 2 minutes, scraping bowl often. For thinner consistency, add milk a little at a time. Frosts one 8-inch 2-layer cake.

Mystery Pecan Pie

I had a good Thanksgiving so far...and it's only halfway over. Still got another dinner tonight at my folks' (along with my brother's going away party).

I made pumpkin cookies (which weren't bad...at least they were lowfat) and mystery pecan pie (first pie I ever made COMPLETELY from scratch...even the crust!). The pecan pie was so delicous...Hubby's uncle said, "Wow...I've never had pecan pie like that!"

I mentioned the pie to my brother-in-law (even showed him the cook book) on Tuesday night when he came over. On the night before Thanksgiving, he was hoping I would bake that pie since it sounded so good. He had some during the dinner! ;)




Pillsbury bake-off cookbook from 1981. My mom had made this pie a lot when I was growing up...and it's one of my dad's favorite pies.


The recipe page...looks really yummy. The pecan pie has cream cheese in it. That's why it's a mystery. :-)


You can see what my mom wrote on the top "Very Good!"


My very first pie from scratch. Definitely DELICOUS!!!!!

Recipe:
MYSTERY PECAN PIE
unbaked 9 inch crust (or prepared pie pastry)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Topping
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup light or dark corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 375F. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 egg; beat at medium speed until well blended. Spread in bottom of pastry lined pan. Sprinkle with pecans. In small bowl, combine all topping ingredients, beat on medium speed just until blended. Gently pour topping over pecans. Bake at 375F for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is firm to touch. Refrigerate leftovers. 8 servings.

Pecan Pie Cookies (Land O'Lakes)

I made those cookies after seeing 'em on a mailing list that I subscribe to (Land o' Lakes mailing list). I made and brought 'em to my husband's side of the family's Thanksgiving dinner. Those were gone so fast and they've asked me to make those again this year. Those were a huge hit on Thanksgiving last year, and I thought I'd post 'em right before this wonderful holiday!

This picture was taken from the Land o' Lakes website (I saved it on my computer and uploaded here so I didn't steal any bandwidth :))

PECAN PIE COOKIES

The flavors of pecan pie in a special thumbprint cookie.

Preparation time: 30 min Baking time: 8 min

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

1		cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4		cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1		egg
1		teaspoon vanilla
2		cups all-purpose flour
1		teaspoon baking powder

Filling Ingredients:

1		cup chopped pecans
1/2		cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4		cup LAND O LAKES™ Heavy Whipping Cream
1		teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all cookie ingredients except flour and baking powder in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed.

Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in each cookie with thumb; rotate thumb to hollow out slightly.

Combine all filling ingredients in small bowl; fill each cookie with 1 rounded teaspoon filling. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. .

TIP: These cookies can be made ahead and stored in the freezer up to 3 months. Place cookies in containers with tight-fitting lids, separating layers with waxed paper.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies (Flourless)

I made those cookies for a co-worker’s birthday. The co-worker was a chocoholic...and also liked peanut butter. We had a very busy week at work, so I was pretty exhausted.

I decided on this modified recipe, because it only takes 20 minutes from start to finish, and I usually had all the ingredients on hand.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (FLOURLESS)

• 1 cup peanut butter (preferably extra chunky)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Mix all ingredients. Roll into one inch balls and flatten. (Optional: sprinkle sugar or crushed nuts on top). Bake 10 minutes. Let cool for a couple minutes before taking them off the baking sheet (they break easily when hot).

That’s all there is to it.

Simple Flourless Peanut Butter Cookie

This is the easiest cookie recipe that I know. I’ve got it memorized, so that whenever my husband and I are craving something sweet and yummy, we’d make this together.

Simple flourless peanut butter cookie

• 1 cup peanut butter (preferably chunky)


• 1 cup sugar


• 1 egg


• 1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Preheat oven to 350^oF. Mix all ingredients. Roll into one inch balls. Flatten with a fork dipped in sugar. Bake for 10 minutes.

That’s all there is to it! And it’s gluten free! My dad can’t have anything with gluten, so this is a good cookie for those who have Celiac Disease or wheat allergies. It also tastes just like a regular peanut butter cookie, that you’d never notice there was no flour in it!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another favorite recipe that I made a few months ago. A good recipe for the chocoholic.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookies

• 1/2 c butter, melted
• 1c flour
• 3/8 c. cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1c white sugar or 1/2 each of white and brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1c chocolate chips
• 1/4 c chopped peanuts, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 F. While butter is melting (you can use a double boiler or just the microwave), combine flour, cocoa, soda and salt in a medium bowl, and set aside. In a larger bowl, blend butter, sugar, and egg until creamy. Stir in vanilla, then add dry ingredients. Fold in chips & nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes. Leave to cool on pan for 5 minutes (cookies will be soft out of the oven) before transferring to a wire rack.