This Week's Concoctions Ending 1/21

Again, I made nothing other than the "Weekly Cookie" this week...

This Week's Concoctions Ending 1/14

I made nothing other than the "Weekly Cookie" this week...

January 7: One-Bowl Cranberry Oat Cookies

One-Bowl Cranberry Oat Cookies

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup 2% or whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (6.8 oz) white whole wheat or all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup toasted and chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets.
2. In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, microwave the butter on high for 30 seconds, or until melted. Coat a tablespoon with some of the melted butter, then use it to measure 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Add the maple syrup to the mixing bowl, followed by the sugar, egg, milk, vanilla, and orange zest. Stir well with a mixing spoon, and then stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the flour and stir until incorporated. Stir in the oats, pecans, and cranberries.
3. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of batter onto the baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time until the edges are browned, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Addition of maple syrup that sunk right to the bottom

Addition of egg, orange zest, vanilla and sugar

Addition of salt, baking soda, and salt

Addition of flour

Addition of oats, cranberries, and pecans

Thoughts: We are currently in the middle of a snowstorm so I realized that I only had almonds, not pecans. I also never have pure maple syrup so I always use pancake syrup. I baked these for about 11 minutes and a couple of them still looked a little undercooked. They tasted a little too nutty for me and Patrick tasted something he didn't like about them but couldn't identify the taste.

This Week's Concoctions Ending 1/7

Here is the highlight of an item that I made this week other than the "Weekly Cookie"

Peach cake: Cake mix, canned pineapple, cool whip, cream cheese....

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.

This Week's Concoctions Ending 12/31

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

Black Forest Cookie: Chocolate cookie with oats, chocolate chips, and dried cherries

Tiramisu Bars: Ugly color!

Slow Cooker chickpea and eggplant stew: Chickpeas, eggplants, onions, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes

December 30: Candy Bar-Topped Brownies

Candy Bar-Topped Brownies

Ingredients:
12 tablespoons (6 oz) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons caramel-flavored iced coffee mix, such as Starbucks Via
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups (6 oz) all-purpose flour
6 regular-size chocolate, caramel, nougat bars, such as Milky Way, chopped

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 large, microwave-safe mixing bowl, microwave the butter on high for 30 seconds, or until melted. Whisk in the sugar, then whisk in the coffee powder, cocoa powder, vanilla, and eggs. When the mixture is smooth, add the salt and baking powder and whisk throroughly, breaking up any lumps in the baking powder and taking care that it is thoroughly distributed; scrape the sides of the bowl and stir (do not beat) in the flour.
3. Pour into the pan and spread to the edges. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool slightly in the pan. Scatter the candy bar chunks over the warm brownies and let the brownies cool completely in the pan. When cool, give them a quick chill for easy slicing. Lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and with a big chef's knife, cut into 32 squares.

Addition of coffee mix, cocoa powder, vanilla and eggs

Addition of baking powder and salt

Addition of flour

Before the oven...

And after.

Thoughts: I guess this proves that sleep deprivation causes mistakes. I only had about 3 hours of sleep when I made these so there are some variations. I only used 6 tablespoons of butter instead of 12 (I read the 6 of the "6 oz") and used 1 1/2 cups of flour instead of 1 1/3 cups. I couldn't find caramel iced coffee mix so I bought just caramel coffee mix...still Starbucks Via. I baked them for about 27 minutes. They were good...you could definitely taste the Starbucks mix.