Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies. Whoa.

This adventure went from peanut butter cookies, to peanut butter bars, to throw some choc chips in there, to why not throw in some coca, too? To the search for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies.

And alas! I found a recipe here

(The recipe I'm posting is a bit different, I made my own tweaks)

And I even took pictures this time!

ps I know this looks long and complicated, but its really not. Its just the two batters you have to make separate, so don't be intimidated. 

Chocolate Batter:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened (plus extra for pan)
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 cup each all purpose and whole wheat flours
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Peanut Butter Batter:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1/8 cup each all-purpose and whole wheat flours
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (I use organic, unsweetened)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

Make the batters:  In separate bowls, one medium for the chocolate and one small for the peanut butter, stir together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs; beat well with a spoon or whisk until smooth. For the peanut butter filling, stir peanut butter into the wet mixture. In a separate bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder and salt for the peanut butter batter. Gradually add to the peanut butter wet mixture. Use that same separate bowl to mix the dry ingredients for the chocolate batter - flours, baking powder, salt and cocoa - then gradually add to the "chocolate" wet mixture, stirring well to blend. 

Pour half the chocolate batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Place nine dollops of peanut butter - about one heaping tablespoon each - equally spaced on top of the chocolate batter. Sprinkle choc chips now if you want an *extra* chocolate kick. A small scoop works great for this. With a bamboo or metal skewer, gently swirl filling into the batter, running skewer lengthwise and then crosswise through the batter. Pour remaining chocolate batter on top of the peanut butter layer, then add another nine dollops of peanut butter batter on top, using all the remaining batter. Repeat swirling (and maybe choc chip addage).

Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, 35 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then lift out brownies with the paper and let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.

Makes 16 brownies.

Light and Fluffy Wheat Rolls

Not that I've been cooking much lately.

But, I did make these for Thanksgiving dinner with the fam; they are always a hit and make a ton.

Hopefully once finals are over and graduation is complete,

we will get off of our taco bell and pizza hut kick.

But probably not until then. 

• 
  
• 2 packages active dry yeast (or about 3 1/2 tablespoons
• 1 3/4 cups warm water 
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•  
• 1/4 cup butter, melted (for the tops of the rolls)

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with the sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Mix salt, 1/4 cup melted butter, egg, and whole wheat flour into yeast mixture. Stir in all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
3. Punch down dough, cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled again, about 30 minutes.
4. Pull dough apart and roll into 24 balls (somewhere between the size of a golf ball and a tennis ball). Place in a slightly greased pan and let rise once more for another 45 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F . Bake for 10 mins. Pull out and butter the tops with the 1/4 melted butter. Place back in oven for another 8-10 mins or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and brush again with melted butter.
6. Makes 24 rolls. 

What to do resorts to chicken usual

I've recovered from the Thanksgiving weekend,

and have a month-long stock of turkey in my fridge

(and, of course, it's all left up to me to finished because

1. my husband doesn't like left-overs

and

2. even if he did, he doesn't like turkey)

So I've got chicken thawed out,

(yay. another bird.)

but no clue what to do with it...

I think I will do the usual, since I have yet to post about my 

Chicken Usual Recipe.

(I may have just made that name up on the top of my head).

I kind of made it up, and its kind of delicious

(and by kind of, I mean really.

I've had guests ask if it was marinated all day to taste this good.

Nope. Done in less than an hour).

Chicken Usual

1 chicken breast (or two - Adam and I usually split one boob in half)

1 egg, beated

Flavored Crackers of your choice - our favorite is the one brand that has like, sour cream and cheddar flavors. But we mix it up sometimes too

Parmesan Cheese

Pepper

Mozzarella Cheese

Optional - Slice of ham 

Basil

Thyme

Pound out the chicken a bit, to get it relaxed and a bit thinner.

While you're in the pounding mode, go ahead and crumble up the flavored crackers in a baggie. Add a couple of shakes of Parmesan cheese and pepper. Here you can be creative with your flavors. Want some spice? Add dried pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. Don't add more salt, though. The crackers and cheese will give it plenty

Cut off a couple slices of mozz. cheese, and lay it flat on the chicken breast. Add slice of ham if wanted (tonight I think I will try crumbled turkey bacon). Sprinkle some of the cracker/cheese mixture on top of the mozz cheese/ham. Also, sprinkle on some basil and thyme. 

Roll up the chicken breast with the cheese/ham on the inside. Stick a toothpick in it if it doesn't stay together well on its own.

Dip the rolled up chicken into a bowl with the beaten egg, coating it well. Then, either roll the chicken around in the baggie with the crackers, or place the chicken in a pan and sprinkle the crackers on top, making sure to coat the whole chicken (I prefer the chick in bag method). 

Cook at 425 degrees F for 20 mins. Chicken is so delicate to cook - if you start to smell it, it's probably done. Cut a small slit on the top of the chicken to check if its done; if the juices run clear and the meat is an off white, looks juicy and moist, then its perfect!

Serve with green beens and my EASY MASHED POTATOES:

1 potato per person is usually plenty

Cheese

Butter

Sour cream

Salt/Pepper

Parsley flakes

Cut up potatoes into small cubes, skinning if you want (I like to lazily skin potatoes - half on/ half off

Boil in a pot of water on high for 20 or more minutes. The trick of making these mashed potatoes very easy is to boil them until they are very soft - soft enough that a stabbing them with a fork makes the cube fall apart.

When they are soft, drain them and put in a bowl. If the potatoes are soft enough, a wooden spoon will be sufficient to mash them. Throw in a handful of cheese, half a cup or so of sour cream, a couple tablespoons of butter, and whip up like crazy.

Top with salt, pepper, and parsley flakes. 

(sorry for no photos. Gotta work on that).  

My Hawaiian Dessert

My good friend and her boyfriend visited me in Hawaii this week.

We wanted to treat them to some local kine,

so we took them to Papa Ole's and then came back to our house for dessert

(after the Night Show at the PCC of course):

Haupia Ice Cream

with 

Glazed donut holes.

:)

And yes, I do realize that the only thing Hawaiian in that dessert is the Haupia.

But nonetheless, it is delicious.

Like cake and ice cream, 

only 10 trillion x richer

and we all know how much I like 

sugary

tooth-achingly 

sweet

stomach-churning rich

foods. 

Gotta enjoy it while I can.

ps. It has been far too long since I have made a decent meal. My poor hubby.

He had 6 donut holes and Taco Bell for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner today.

I'm ashamed to admit it. 

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

So typically if I don't make a really stupendous dinner

(as in, last night was cereal, tonight will prob be fish sticks and mac and cheese)

you can usually count on me to make a spectacular dessert instead!

(and come on, which one would you rather have, anyway?)

So tonight's recipe comes from here

originally, but I have tweaked it a bit

2 Cups dark chocolate chips

1 giant hershey's bar (this was all the chocolate we had in the house....)

3 tbs peanut butter

Melt in a double boiler

------------------------------

1 C Peanut Butter

1/2 C powdered sugar

2 mini butterfingers crumbled

Mix in a bowl until smooth.

Spoon a thin layer of the melted chocolate into cupcake foils, freeze for 15 mins (or until solid)

Spoon a dollop of peanut butter. Freeze.

Cover with one more thin layer of chocolate on top. Freeze again until solid.

Enjoy! They melt fast, so keep refrigerated.

Yuuuummmmm...!

Restaurant Review

Like I said in my last post,

last night was a date/night out.

We ate a Kahuku Grill which is an immensely popular shack/grill that serves

fish, coconut shrimp, hamburgers, bbq chicken, ribs, salads, and

Coconut Banana Bread Sundaes

(photo courtesy of whereyoulikeeat.com)

We showed up and scanned the menu while we waited in line to order,

and the guy ahead of us turned around with a big grin on his face and asked,

This yer furst time herr?!

Nope, been here quite a few times.

Ya, juss too gewd for it ta be ya furst time, huh?!

Yes.

Too some extent.

So, here is my low down of Kahuku Grill ---

I can't eat a whole plate of the coconut shrimp without feeling like I'm eating dessert first,

and thus I end up feeling sick to my stomach.

The fish plate is ok but since they only serve the same kind all the time

you can only order it so many times

The salads are tremendously terrific - 

sweet, nutty, crunchy.

However,

the cheese/burgers are the most juiciest, flavor-filled,dripping, yummy, cheesy, delicious 

load of beef I do believe I've ever wrapped up in a bun and put in my mouth. Plus,

the entire potato's worth of huge, thick fries covered in garlic and big chunks of sea salt?

Nearly impossible to finish, but it is heaven.

....And no, sadly, we still have yet to try to sundae. Though I'm sure its delicious. How can you go wrong with that one?

Pizza Night. With Pumpkin Muffins.

So I held out for one night,

but last night we succumbed to the frozen pizza in the freezer.

Yum. Cardboard.

And tonight is date night, so we will probably go out.

BUT. 

I do have  DELISHSSHSHSISH

Pumpkin Muffins recipe to share in lieu of last nights sorry excuse for a dinner.

Enjoy!

1 package White Cake Mix (plus the ingredients it calls for to make the cake)

3 1/2 Cups pumpkin puree (I used the entire 29 oz can)

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

4 c. Flour

2 1/2 tsp baking soda

4 C sugar

1 3/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 C Oil

5 Eggs

3/4 - 1 C. Water

Bake at 350 degrees for 22 ish minutes. 

*This is a HUGE recipe. It made about 3 1/2 dozen for me.

Here is a slightly smaller recipe that doesn't require a cake mix

3 1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Mix dry ingredients and add:

1 c. oil
4 eggs
2/3 c. water
2 c. pumpkin

Cheesy, Creamy Bacon Alfredo

Tonight I was lazy. 

I should have/ could have started dinner ages ago,

and came up with something spectacular.

instead, I hunted for blogs that had good dinner ideas....

and didn't come up with much

(though I'm sure there are plenty of good dinner blogs).

In an attempt to start my own little recipe book, I've created my OWN dinnery diary.

I just need a way to document what I've done before, what I liked, and what I do differently...Plus I need a place of inspiration for nights that almost resorted to pizza (like tonight)

Not that I profess to be a 4-star restaurant chef, by any means ....

I'm more of the throw everything together and see what you get type.

So tonight, I found a quick, easy pasta recipe online and I modified it a bit.

Sometimes I'll post pictures - but not tonight...yoga in 30 mins :)

It's garlicky, rich, and salty.

Mmmmm

3/4 C Sour cream

3/4 C Chicken broth

1/4 C Parmesan cheese

1/4 C mozzarella, cheddar, or anything else

4 strips of bacon (I used turkey bacon)

1 tsp garlic

Noodles - (all I had were spagghetti)

Pepper

Basil

Red Pepper Flakes

Cayenne Pepper

*Served with green beans and Meg's Famous Lemonade, Of Course! (so named by Ben and Rachel)

*Notes for next time: I repeat, it is VERY rich and salty. Perhaps try chicken instead of bacon - this will cut down on the saltiness factor. Also, a reduced fat Sour cream, or less Cheese. Add more Cayenne pepper for me (less for adam)
Also, because it is SO rich, you don't need that much sauce on dat dere noodles....could prob cut the recipe in half and be OK when serving for 2.
Also, also... broccolli? yeah?