11 posts tagged “chocolate”
I may be flattering myself to believe that many (not few or none) of you have followed the thread of comments on granola bars: my attempt at mailing food. If you haven't, well I can quickly get you up to speed by admitting that I mailed them to the wrong address.
Honestly, now that I see how the packaging turned out on the second batch of bars, I'm glad the first never made it, as I simply wrapped them in parchment paper. These are much cuter.
I collect various treat bags and boxes when I see them on sale at Target (which seems to be quite often), so I have a little bit of a stash. The opportunity to use them is not great, so I was thrilled with this one. Why I didn't think of it the first time, who knows? Obviously, my brain was elswhere the first time around. The assortment of "relative" stickers were from an old craft project a couple of years ago. Being a pack rat pays off eventually.
I made two changes to the recipe this time, which you can find by clicking on the link above. Swapped out applesauce for oil, and replaced 1/2 c. of the oats for oat bran. Husband, who didn't get to sample the first batch, gave these his approval.
When I received a comment requesting granola bars, I was happy to oblige. I like granola bars myself, specifically Kashi's Dark Chocolate Cherry, but have never made them. With a specific requirement of chewiness, I started my search there, and decided on Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars as the inspiration. They actually turned out pretty good...almost like a cookie, and in my mouth that isn't a bad thing. We'll see if the commenter agrees. I made the bars on Monday afternoon, and mailed them on Tuesday morning (he is a family member, I will not mail food to random strangers). With the postal service, who knows when they will arrive at their final destination. Hopefully, he'll find them chewy and not stale, fresh and not moldy.
MG's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cherry Granola Bars
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. peanut butter
2 1/2 T. honey
1/4 c. applesauce
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. chocolate chips
2 T. chopped dried cherries
2 T. chopped peanuts
1/4 c. cheerios
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 x 8 inch baking pan.
In a bowl, stir together the brown sugar, peanut butter, honey, applesauce, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, chocolate chips, cherries, peanuts, cheerios, and flour. Stir the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture until evenly coated. Press in the prepared pan. (I used a meat mallet to pack it in tightly).
Bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
As of tomorrow, April 25, 2008, Tabicakes turns one! It's my blogiversary! Believe me, I'm as surprised as anyone. Honestly, I don't have the best track record at follow through. Let's see, I have yet to really start the family cookbook I said I would put together a couple of years ago, the dining room chair covers I made (three years ago) are on the chairs but have never been hemmed, and I could go on.
When I first started this blog, it was on a whim after I viewed a lot of food blogs. I saw some really wonderfully inspiring ones - Culinary Concoctions by Peabody and Tartelette - and some really terrible ones. Aiming to fall somewhere in the middle, I had a new camera, and nothing to loose. Are there future plans for my blog? I don't know. All I know is that in this moment, I enjoy it. Happy Birthday Tabicakes!
Normally I don't encourage "healthy" desserts for special occasions, but Husband and I still have that trip to Mexico next month. (Yikes! We better get busy). Besides, Tabicakes isn't a real person anyway. She'll be fine with a lighter cake.
This cake was delish! From Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Double-Chocolate Cake, was advertised as "You can have your cake and eat it too." Per serving: 261 calories, 8 g. fat, and cholesterol free.
My changes:
1. So there was a limited supply of leftovers, I halved the recipe and baked the batter in ramekins.
2. I cut the sugar in half again, so there was only a 1/4 of the sugar originally called for in the cake.
3. I used unsweetend chocolate in the glaze, so that was a little less sweet too.
Husband and I don't like super sweet desserts, so we thought these were fine changes. They made for an intense chocolate flavor.
I've been gone for a week. Eating out on a limited budget gets old really quickly. I don't know how Subway's Jared could do it. A six-inch sub sandwich just twice in one week was my limit. You know it's pretty bad when your "splurge" is Applebee's Carside-to-Go. (I did have a couple of really good meals at Brother and Sister-in-law's, so it wasn't all bad. Thanks!)
However, homecoming was oh, so sweet. Husband had a delicious meal waiting upon my arrival. (see above).
Fish Menuniere with Browned Butter and Lemon
Roasted Tomatoes
Creamy Mashed Potatoes (the new potato ricer really works...get one)
And the piece de resistance....
Homemade Chocolate Mousse!
I guess the way to my heart is through my stomach. I'll take this over flowers any day.
I attended some sort of "leadership" retreat as a freshman in high school. I think all class officers from my school were in attendance. We did a lot of different games, met in focus groups, brainstormed...you know, activities that really got things accomplished and bettered the student body.
In one such activity I do remember having to answer a series of ridiculous questions. I'm not sure what the answers were used to prove. It could have been simply to "break the ice" or get us acquainted. The one question I remember was "What is your favorite food?" I easily answered, "chocolate cake." I noticed a few eyebrows were raised. Should I have said, "Pizza or Tacos," like everyone else?
Now when I think about that question, I wonder what I would answer. I definately love chocolate cake!, but I love a lot of different foods too. I think an artist friend put it well, when he was asked, "What is your favorite color?" His answer, "Of all the colors, I can't possibly pick one." Of all the foods....
I got a wonderful cookbook for Christmas: Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. It looks like it's going to be delicious! The other night, I tried Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Cookies. My "favorite food" in bite size pieces. I'm really excited. I've put some in the freezer, so now when I crave chocolate cake, I'll pull out a cookie or two and mmm, craving gone!
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Cookies (adapted from Baking from My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)
2 1/4 c. flour
2 T cocoa
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temp.
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. dried sour cherries
375 degrees. Whisk together first 5 ingredients.
Beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add sugars and beat for 2 minutes. Add eggs one by one. Beat for another minute until smooth and satiny. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the vanilla and melted chocolate. With mixer still on low, add dry ingredients and sour cream alternately, begining and ending with dry ingredients. Mix only until incoporated and batter is smooth. Mix in cherries.
Drop batter onto baking sheets (I used a smallish cookie scoop), leaving 2 inches between spponfuls.
Bake 10-12 minutes.
My grandma passed away a couple of months ago. It's really hard losing a grandma.
My mind has drifted to what a good woman she was, her wonderful qualities, happy memories, but it always comes back to the kitchen.
There were dried apricots in the freezer...apricots from her own tree. I remembered a macaroni, hamburger, green bean and mushroom soup casserole for Sunday evening suppers. She was the first one that I ever saw cut a pizza with a pair of scissors. Have you ever had Rhubarb juice? My grandma made it. There were toothpicks on the table. One drawer was devoted to boxes of JELLO...almost any flavor you could imagine. That got me thinking, and I went to my own cabinet. I had two boxes of JELLO. I don't remember the last time I made JELLO, and I don't remember buying it, but I had two boxes. Is it one of those things you just pick up at the store regardless?
Nothing was ever wasted. Everything was used to its full potential and this meant usually more than once. I learned early on when spending the night, not to ask for cereal for breakfast. I didn't like drinking the milk, and not drinking the milk was wasteful, so I asked for toast. In my own life, I do try to use things more than once when I can. I have a hard time throwing things away if I think it could be used again. Because of this trait, I have been called "Grandma M___" by my Mom. I like this nickname.
After the funeral, I spent time with the rest of my family at her home. That day, I took with me three bags of chocolate chips from her cupboards.
As I was mixing this batch of chocolate chip cookies, I tried to remember having them at my Grandma's. I couldn't. I did remember, however, having bar cookies on many occasions. My grandma raised eight children. Maybe she never had time to make individual cookies. One big cookie was much more efficient and practical...two qualites that could easily describe her.
One evening, I had a few scraps of puff pastry after making chicken potpie. Knowing that I would find a use for them, I placed them in the fridge. A couple of days later, I saw them and thought of Grandma, the chocolate chips, and the yummy chocolate croissants I love. Sometimes not being wasteful tastes really good.
Chocolate Croissants
Place chocolate chips in a strip down the center of a wedge of puff pastry. Roll up into a croissant shape. Bake. Enjoy!
Husband made butter cookies one evening. I love cookies, but strangely, I don't really like butter cookies. I then thought of Pepperidge Farm - Double Chocolate Milano Cookies. Mmm! They are essentially butter cookies with chocolate...chocolate chips...Grandma. She would turn a bad situation - I know that butter cookies aren't a bad situation, but hear me out - into a good situation. These turned out great. Pass the milk.
I now have a half a bag of her chocolate chips in the cabinet. I've thought of using them a few times, but in the end, they will not be used. I know they are there, and that's the comfort that I need.
I had a birthday this past weekend. A BIG one. A MATURE one. In fact, I'm so old that I received two cakes this year! I think every one had the ending of Happy Birthday in their mind, "..and many more..." The Classic Devil's Food Cake, above, was made by my loving husband. It was his first attempt at baking a cake. Good job. Very delicous. It looks nice, doesn't it? Applause!
My father made my second cake, Double Chocolate Layer Cake (left). This recipe is so good I have requested it two years in a row! Although, he has made cakes before, I think this was the most involved of them. Applause!
Thanks boys!
It had been too many days without my chocolate friend.
Found this Cocoa Fudge Cookie recipe on Cooking Light.
The batter was so delicious, it was all I could do from eating it right then and there. (There are no eggs in this cookie, so eating this raw dough poses no health risks).
A very good cookie!
Not able to leave the recipe alone, I decided to insert a cherry into each cookie. What a tasty surpise!
Yesterday was my dad's birthday. He and my mom came to town for a celebratory lunch. Though we went out for lunch, I made the cake for the occasion. It is a longtime family favorite: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cake. For those of you who love the irresistible combination of chocolate and peanut butter, this is for you! Happy birthday Dad!
We spent the last couple of days at my parents'. For those of you who know them, "Where are the recipes and photos?" you ask. I forgot to pack one important piece of equipment: the camera.
My father was able to capture the highlight with his phone. Check out these dreamy Creamy Horns from Cuisine at Home Magazine. Strips of puff pastry were wrapped around aluminum foil covered ice cream cones. After 20 minutes at 400 degrees, the pastry horns were golden and delicious. Once filled with Bavarian Cream (foil cones removed), the horns were irresistible! For variety, we made half vanilla and half chocolate bavarian cream.
