June 2: Rocky Road Bars

Rocky Road Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter
1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large eggs, cold
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (4.5 oz) all-purpose flour
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups toasted and chopped walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line a 9 by 13-inch metal pan with nonstick foil.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add the brown sugar ad stir until blended. Remove from the heat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs for about 1 minute or until frothy, then whisk in the sugar and the vanilla. Using a large silicone scraper or mixing spoon, stir in the chocolate mixture, followed by the salt and the flour.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the marshmallows, chocolate chips, and walnuts.
5. Return the pan to the oven for 2 minutes, or just until the marshmallows puff up. Let cool completely in the pan, then chill for about 1 hour or until the top is firm. For an even cleaner cut, freeze for about 30 minutes before cutting. To serve, lift from the pan, using the foil as a handle, set on a cutting board, and cut into 24 bars.

Addition of cocoa powder to butter

Thoughts: I feel like I have made these bars before but I think that I made rocky road cookies in the past. There were no issues making these bars except I hate that cocoa powder gets everywhere! I used slightly more chocolate chips so I could cover the pan. I only had pecans so I substituted them for walnuts and only put it on half. I decided to serve them warm so they were gooey. The people at work thought that if I had chilled them, the brownie would've been hard and tough to chew.They were very good in any case.

This Week's Concoctions Ending 3/11

Here are some highlights of items that I made this week other than the "Weekly Cookie"

It was my co-worker's birthday so she requested this cake. It's a chocolate cake with dates with walnuts and chocolate chips on top. I guess it is more like a brownie because it didn't rise but it had the consistency of a cake.

This is a roasted vegetable and feta cheese dip. It's just a Tastefully Simple dry mix and cream cheese.

This is a blueberry dump cake. It's a can of blueberry filling on the bottom then cake mix/butter mix dumped on top and baked for a hour in the beanpot.

January 6: Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or extra-light olive oil
1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 cup bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line an 8-inch metal baking pan with nonstick foil, or line it with regular foil and spray the foil with flour-added baking spray.
2. Puree the black beans in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add the eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, sugar, and espresso powder and process until smooth; stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
3. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes. The top should appear set and the edges should have pulled slightly away from the pan. Let cool completely in the pan, then chill the brownies, if desired. Grasp the foil, lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares.

Addition of eggs and oil

Addition of sugar, espresso powder, salt, vanilla and cocoa powder

Addition of walnuts and chocolate chips

Thoughts: I used walnuts only because you can buy them at the store already chopped. I thought the walnut and espresso powder taste was very present. I couldn't taste the black beans at all.

September 22: Apple Chunk with White Chocolate Cookies

Apple Chunk with White Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (4.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon maple flavoring
3/4 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats (not instant)
1/2 cup finely chopped green apple, such as Granny Smith
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 oz white chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a small bowl; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until creamy. Beat in the applesauce. Continue beating on medium speed, scraping the bowl often. Add the egg, maple syrup, vanilla, and maple flavoring; continue beating until well mixed. By hand, stir in the flour mixture until incorporated. Stir in the oats, apple, walnuts, and raisins.
4. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Let cool completely on a wire rack set over some paper towels. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds. Drizzle the white chocolate over the cookies.

I know you can't see the label but I bought...imitation maple flavoring! I know I'm ashamed too. It's the only thing the store had.

Dry ingredients

Addition of applesauce

Addition of syrup, maple flavoring, egg and vanilla

Addition of the dry ingredients

Addition of raisins and oats

Addition of apple

Addition of walnuts

Clearly drizzling is not a talent of mine!

Thoughts: I hate recipes that include drizzling. I now have tools to make it easier but honestly I was lazy and just wanted to get it over with. I didn't have pure maple syrup so I just used store bought syrup (it has maple in it, right?). Other than that, it was pretty easy. I used about 1/2 of a Granny Smith apple. I baked them for 11 minutes and they come out pretty soft. It only yielded about 20. It tastes like a spice cookie. We both liked it.