Brownies

I love chocolate! And love to make brownies. I have a few favorites, but this one I made yesterday (and Belle made them again today for her study group).  They don't last very long in my house.  Because of the soy allergy we stay away from chocolate chips in our brownies. But feel free to add some chips or chopped up caramels. It could only make them better.

These are nice cake like brownies. Great for an afternoon snack or packed in a lunch.  Of course you could always eat these with a little ice cream and some whipped cream for an awesome dessert.

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

3/4 cup cocoa 

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

(1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 pan. (I use butter) Place butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on 50 % power for 2-3 minutes until melted.  Stir in the sugar and vanilla.  Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each to make sure they are incorporated.  Add the cocoa. Stir. add the baking powder, salt and flour. Carefully stir until everything is combined.  Add chips if using and stir. Pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool on rack, cut and enjoy.

recipe adapted from Hershey's

Lemon Thyme Creme Brûlée

My son went out to dinner the other night and he mentioned that he had Lemon Thyme Creme Brulee. Well, immediately I was on the computer looking for a recipe. The one that I found had metric measurements, and since math isn't my thing, I dismissed it.  I went to my tried and true recipe from The Pioneer Woman and tweaked it a bit.  The results were pretty good. I may still play around with a bit more lemon zest but I liked it enough.  


1 quart heavy cream
10 egg yolks
3/4 c plus 6 or so TBSP super fine sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
5-6 thyme sprigs  (leaves removed and chopped)

I use my Mom-mom's way of making superfine sugar. She just put it in the blender and pulsed it until it was superfine.  Works great!

Preheat the oven to 325.

Pour the cream into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to almost a boil and turn off the heat. Add the thyme and lemon zest to infuse into the cream.

Place the egg yolks in a large bowl and add the 3/4 cup sugar.  With a whisk, and a ton of muscle, whisk these for a good 5 minutes. Whisk like crazy!!Until the eggs are a very light yellow. 

Now temper the egg mixture by very slowly drizzling 1 cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture while continually whisking. You do not want to cook the eggs.  Then you can add the rest of the cream while continuing to whisk.  

Place 6 ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and carefully ladle the custard into them. About 3/4 full. ( i always seem to be able to fill 6 large and 4 small ramekins).
Place the pan into the oven, then pour water into the pan until water reaches halfway up the ramekins.
Bake for 35- 45 minutes or until the custard is set. Be careful not to let it brown.  
Remove ramekins and allow to cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

When you are ready to serve, sprinkle each custard with a TBSP of superfine sugar and use a kitchen torch to burn the sugar crispy.

Serve immediately.

Philadelphia Pound Cake

Everyone has their favorite cake. And what better cake to love than pound cake? It is great for dessert, a snack in the middle of the day, or for breakfast (we all do it). I love making this cake, my kids all love it,  I love it, and basically anyone who eats it loves it. Who can resist a hunk of sweet, dense, buttery heaven? No one! 

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 c. Sugar

1pkg.   cream cheese, softened

1 tsp vanilla

6 eggs

2 c. Flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1 tsp salt

Cream the butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add the sugar. Mix. Add vanilla and eggs. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, add them and mix until combined. Pour into a greased pan. 12 c fluted or 10 inch tube pan. Bake for 1 hour in a 350 oven. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to finish cooling.  You may want to sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

The Perfect Cookie

Everyone loves cookies, right? Well, I have an awesome chocolate chip cookie recipe. It is my go-to cookie. It is a small recipe, but is easily doubled. This cookie is loaded with chips and nuts.  Make sure that you toast your nuts for extra flavor.  Of course, if you like, you can leave them out. Why not whip up a batch after dinner and treat yourself.

1 1/4 c. Flour 
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. Butter (1 stick) softened
1/2 c. Packed brown sugar
1/4 c. Granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. Semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. Walnuts, lightly toasted

  Preheat oven to 350. On waxed paper combine flour,baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  In a large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugars until creamy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Reduce speed to low, beat in flour mixture just until blended.  Stir in chips and walnuts.
  Drop by heaping tablespoon, 2 inches apart on ungreased large cookie sheets.  Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.