Santa Fe Brownies

At the rate I'm going with my post...I'll be ready for the next holiday; which is Mother's Day! Not doing too well on facebook either, or twitter, for that matter, and forget about Google + which I'm still figuring out, just randomly Google + ing people I don't even know, and try to keep up with friends that I do know!
Aside from the fact of 'social media'...which I seem to be 'anti-social'...I will still carry on with my food blog because I made so many friends there, and consider your friendship as if you lived close by!

Does it happen to you like me, sometimes?...you open up an old unforgotten cookbook, and suddenly see a fabulous dish or dessert that in the past you thought about making it?...but now, in the present, knowing the book is over 20 or 30...maybe even 40yrs old, and you know you have to make modifications...big time! A challenge is what it is; otherwise you will have to stick to more recent recipes, which are on the lighter side; and you can actually see photos...which in some of these old books you're lucky if you have diagram of some drawings and illustrations.

If I remember correctly, I have made a similar amazing decadent and rich brownies with the cream cheese marbleized swirls and posted it on my blog, in the past couple years (not looking for it now) This is Maida Heatter's recipe who's last copyright was in 1992; but I haven't seen any more of her books, since then...she might have even passed on!

Good thing that I always have the basic ingredients on hand, because I made this at the last minute's notice...allowing myself a couple of hours. I took this to my son's house...even though they are all 'health conscious'...a piece or two of brownies is a comforting simple dessert!

Besides the fact that my son Joe is an artist, and has a full time job; he has a huge project that he is involved with, and is the founder of it... cleaning up our beaches in Palm Beach county...called,
 BE OCEAN
which you can find on facebook!

This surely is a proper balance of light and delicious dinner: Steamed, and sautéed Kale...Baked Spaghetti, and Baked Salmon, (rubbed with a raspberry spice rub)...yumm!


 Maida Heatter's Santa Fe Brownies from one of Maida Heatter's chocolate dessert cookbooks.
Cake Ingredients

1 ½ c		unbleached flour
1 ½ t		baking powder
¾ t		salt
6 oz		unsweetened chocolate
6 oz		semi-sweet chocolate
8 oz		unsalted butter
5		eggs 4 eggs
1 ¼ c		sugar 1 cup sugar
1 ½ c		brown sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 T		vanilla 2 teaspoons
8 oz		walnuts optional

Line a 9-by-13 pan (with vertical sides, if possible) with aluminum foil. Put a few dabs of butter in the pan and put it in the oven to melt the butter. Then use some crumpled plastic wrap to spread the butter over the foil Spray pan with Pam, or other brand name veg. or butter spray, and also the aluminum foil as well.. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. no need to sift!Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. you can melt it in the microwave oven, adding a few drops of water to the chocolate. Follow instruction for melting chocolate!Mix the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the chocolate mixture, then the dry ingredients. Stir in about 2/3 of the walnuts. Set aside 2¼ cups of the mixture, and spread the rest in the pan.  Cream cheese topping ingredients
(This may be doubled for very cheesy brownies.) I did not double the ingredients (no need to)

12 oz		cream cheese
3 oz		butter
1½ t		vanilla
¾ c		sugar 1/2 cup sugar
3		eggs 1 egg

Warm the cream cheese and butter to room temperature. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Then beat in the vanilla and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Pour the cheese mixture over the chocolate in the pan. Soften the remaining 2¼ cups of cake mixture by stirring it briskly. Then pour it over the top of the cheese mixture in the pan. Cut diagonally through the top two layers to marblize them. Lay the remaining walnuts on top.

  Bake for 75 minutes. If you doubled the cream cheese, bake for about another 30 minutes. When the top is sufficiently brown, put some foil on it, especially around the edges, to keep the cheese from burning. Total bake time is 35-40 minutes. The instruction for bake time in the original recipe is totally incorrect!Put the whole business in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, turn the cake out of the
pan onto a board, peel off the foil, and carefully

cut the cake into small pieces. Wrap the pieces in wax paper to keep them from sticking together.

As soon as brownie cools down, you can lift it out with the foil that is hanging over, and start cutting up the brownies; as I have in my top photo shown!

Chocolate Crinkles

Happy New Year, to all my blogger friends...(not excluding readers who may not comment)...equal time to all!
Hope you all had a wonderful, and safe New Year's celebration...as we also did! This post may seem like a 'forgotten' or an 'after thought' post of my Chocolate Crinkles...but let me assure you that it is not a forgotten post of these lovely cookies that everyone loves around the Christmas holidays!

Chocolate Crinkles
recipe source: Gold Medal Flour

• 1/2cup vegetable oil
• 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled
• 2cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4eggs
• 2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2cup powdered sugar

Directions

• 1
  In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• 2
  Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.
• 3
  Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
• 4
  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

I find it a little odd to be posting a Christmas cookie (now, that Christmas is over) Chocolate Crinkles are so popular here in the U.S. and all over the world by now, I assume. They are so attractive with the light and dark contrast, and most certainly perfect for an interesting addition to a cookie tray or for serving by themselves, any time of the year!

I did not have a Christmas tree at my small beach condo apartment; but at my daughter Lora's they have a beautiful live and tall tree every year, and I spent time just about every day there to enjoy the holiday festivities, especially at City Place!



Christmas @ City Place...West Palm Beach, Florida
Friends, and Family, on Christmas Day Celebration!

Chocolate Balsamic Strawberries

Another TGIF...and I feel I've been so neglectful in cooking, or baking something for a new post this week. Too busy eating lunches and dinners at my daughter Lora's.

 For instance, her amazing sourdough pizza that she made yesterday and just posted it...you gotta check out her Sourdough Pizza Margherita...as for me, all I could come up with for today, is a fabulous quick and light strawberry dessert that I made, and photographed at her house...playing 'tag' with the sun coming in and out!

It's been over a year now, that I have received an amazing giveaway gift set of fantastic walnut olive oil, chocolate balsamic vinegar, seasonings, and spice rubs. from ARTISANO'S  via my dear friend Lizzy! I have not opened the chocolate balsamic vinegar...until now, even though I know how amazing it is on strawberries. I did make balsamic soaked strawberries before, but nothing like this particular one!

I've been reading  quite a few recipes from my Hungarian food blogger friends...especially GIZI who happens to make a lot of desserts with mascarpone and whipped cream...'hmm'...I thought to myself; why is it that I have not seen a whipped cream incorporated with mascarpone?...what's so hard about it?...it's done the same way as if you are whipping cream, adding a little sugar and vanilla, to the mascarpone, and the cream...I'll tell you, it is pure HEAVEN! My 6yr. old grandson, took a soup spoon and was totally eating the cream...like 'no tomorrow'...I had to remind him that we need to save it for the dessert!

Strawberry Cake...for Father's Day!

Notice something different?...a pink cake...and it's for Father's Day!...just can't stop having 'Lucy' moments, since I agreed to guest post for my friend Ping, and Veronica. It just seemed to have rubbed off on me. Now, I'm enlisted in the 'Lucy Club'

Why a 'pink' cake for Father's Day?...wouldn't it be more appropriate to make a cake with perhaps 'blueberries' that would signify that it's for  a male?...actually, not really Having a strawberry cake is OK, but why go overboard for the pink frosting?...well, I have an explanation for that, as well!

Linking to:
Hearth and Soul Blog Hop @ Swathi's Zesty South Indian Kitchen

OK, I must admit that I got a little carried away with the cake. I had 2 containers of beautiful ripe strawberries, and I just had to do something with them, so I decided to make a cake (last minute)...like a few hours before we were going to eat lunch.

The cake was an absolute success to celebrate Father's Day for my son, and my ex-hubby! They never even notice that it was all PINK, but my little granddaughter sure did. Pink is her favorite color, so it was a double celebration!

Strawberry Cake
my doctored up creation

1 box of strawberry or yellow cake mix
1- 3oz. box of strawberry JELL-O
1/2 cup canola, or vegetable oil
1 cup of plain water
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups mashed strawberries
1 Tbsp sugar

It's a lot easier than you think. Just one box of strawberry cake mix, or yellow cake mix,

For the strawberries: cut the berries in 1/3 pieces, place them in a medium bowl, and add the 1 Tbsp sugar...mash with mashed potato masher, and let it sit for about 20 minutes. It will be juicy and slightly chunky.

In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, 1/2 of the 3-oz. JELL-O the eggs, oil, water. Beat on slow speed with electric mixer, until combined, then on high speed for about 3 minute, till creamy, and fluffy.

After mixing the ingredients, pour in the mashed strawberries.

 Gently fold in the mashed strawberries.

Pour into a sprayed and floured 9 inch spring form pan, or 2- 9 inch round pans. (my pan I used only has the bottom removable.
For spring-form pan, bake at 350 degrees F. for 45-50 minutes, for the 2 round 9 inch pans, about 30-35 minutes.

Let it cool on a wire rack, and frost with strawberry cream cheese frosting:

1- 8 oz. pkg Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temp.
1 stick=4 oz, (113.4 g,) unsalted butter, at room temp.
3 cups powder (icing) sugar
1 teaspoon of the strawberry JELL-O
1 teaspoon plain water

With an electric mixer, mix all ingredients together, till combined, and beat until light, and fluffy, on high speed. Spread it on the cake, when cake is cool, and decorate with additional strawberries if you like. Let the cake set in the fridge for about 2hrs before serving! It is yumm, and delish...and no-one will suspect that it's a "doctored-up" cake...let it be YOUR SECRET! 


I finally received the special addition of the Bon Appetit for the Giveaway, and will announce the winner for my next post!

So, for my continuing photos....just wanted to share some S. Florida photos. The mango tree has already been trimmed down...it is at least 50yrs old.

The glorious mango tree...mangoes getting nice, and ripe!

He loves bougainvilleas!

Chocolate-Banana Frozen Pops...and Giveaway

I've been wanting to make something with all the Dove chocolate products that my daughter Lora received from the Dove people, to try out their products. She shared some with me, but every time I get the chocolate cravings, I just nibble on the silk and smooth Dove chocolate pieces, and little nuggets...even though some are for baking. They are incredibly rich, creamy and so amazingly delicious!

As far as I'm concerned, when you get the craving for chocolates, Dove, or Godiva chocolates are the only ones that can satisfy your craving...although Godiva has not come up with their product to bake with, but Dove, has...it should be available in the supermarkets by now. I really wanted to melt these little chocolate silky nuggets to dip them into strawberries, but I did not have the large ones, so I settled for nice, not too ripe banana pieces. I've seen the "store bought" simple chocolate covered frozen bananas that a friend of mine boasts about...nothing compares to the cute little pop sized ones dipped into melted down chocolate pieces, and sprinkle them with the confetti sprinkles, and pop them in the freezer. I could not wait for them to freeze and grabbed my camera to take the photos, while I had some sunshine streaming into my condo!
BTW-It's been 2 months now since I started my Weight Watchers program...and have lost 13 lbs. which averages out to about 1.6 lbs a week...gaining 2 lbs during the weekend, and losing it again the following week, plus 1 more!
So, there you have it...who says you cannot enjoy a chocolate Banana frozen pop, or two...to satisfy your sweet tooth? They are 5 points each...just be cautious!

As a way of thanking all of you...my friends, I have this beautiful authentic LENOX candy dish to give you, as a giveaway for all your kind words, and support for not just the last 2 months, but for the nearly 2 years of supporting my blog, which I so reluctantly wanted to do!
The LENOX candy dish is 4 inches in diameter, the original pretty simple beige, with the gold trimming, and little heart shaped design around the dish. Isn't this a pretty photo I took, with the reflection of the heart shape in the sunlight? The dish is about less than 3 inches tall!
Better yet...as you know my blog is not just about "good food", but "good thrift finds"...and I was totally blown away when I found this gorgeous little candy dish at my local Goodwill...it was just staring at me, or me staring at it, when I saw it sitting on the shelf, I immediately recognized that it's a LENOX. My hand was shaking to see the price on the back...$4.99...seriously! There is not a mark, or any kind of flaws on this beautiful dish. It retails, at least $40.00 if not more; I'm sure of that! This is the original style, and color.

Again...same rules apply: Just make sure you follow my blog...that's all! My FRIEND CONNECT Google list was totally taken off by Google, so that means I lost 112 additional followers. I specifically asked a few new followers to please follow me on my existing follow list, after I followed them back...well, I'm hoping they will do so, because I am -112 followers, as of the first of March!

I will use my Random.org number generator, on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 to determine the winner.
The giveaway entry will end on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 11:00pm EST. I will ship to any country, outside of the U.S....isn't that great? You will love this little dish, as much as I do, but I have a lot of pretty things, and DO find just as much in my search for great "thrift finds"

...and now, for the recipe!

Chocolate Buttermilk Bundt Cake...

Just wanted to let you know that I'm back on track with my Weight Watchers recipes...and yes, this light and simple Chocolate Bundt Cake is from my Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook. Surprised?...you shouldn't be. It's only 4 points per serving, unlike the the little Pogácsa (biscuits) which I made, had at least 2 points per serving...and you just can't stop at eating one piece.We're on a new track now...still lost 1 additional lb. when I thought I gained some of the weight back...exercise does help!

On a lighter note...as in weight wise, and otherwise, I am staying on the Weight Watchers program and will be featuring mostly, my Weight Watchers' recipes, even for my Guest Post, which I am so excited about! For my Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe,  click over...check it out!

Linking to: http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/ 
                   http://katherinescorner.com/
                  

Chocolate Buttermilk Bundt Cake
from: Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
2011 edition

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 10 inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.
Combine cocoa and chopped chocolate in small bowl. Pour boiling water over cocoa mixture, stirring
until chocolate is melted.
Whisk together buttermilk, oil, egg, egg white, and vanilla in large bowl; stir in cocoa mixture. Add flour,
mixture, stirring just until no longer visible. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire
rack 10 minutes. Invert and remove pan. Let cool completely. Serves 24 slices
Points Plus value: 4

note: You can substitute low-fat buttermilk, by making your own.
To a 1 cup glass measuring cup, add 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar, and fill to 1 cup, low-fat milk.
Do not stir, just leave for a few minutes and it will get thick, just like buttermilk...only cheaper, and just as good!

Gong Xi Fa Cai...Happy Chinese New Year...The year of the Dragon!

Chocolate Drop Cookies...Cookbook Sundays!

Please don't be too judgemental with these yummy Chocolate Drop Cookies, made by me...but totally designed,and decorated by my "loves of my life"...2 of my 4 grandchildren! Luca (boy w/long hair) and Gabby (not shown in photo)...and I assure you, it was made with love, and lots of fun, which will be remembered for fond memories, for years to come!
I am so happy to join once again...Cookbook Sundays... now hosted by Sue!

Linking to: Cookbook Sundays #2 @Couscous and Consciousness

Chocolate Chip Fudge Brownies...and Breast Cancer Awareness!

I have featured my brownies quite a few times since a little over a year ago that I have been blogging...but trust me, this one is so different...so perfect...so chocolaty goodness...fudgy, and oh, so yummy! Really! I kid you not!

Exactly one year ago..give or take a week earlier, or later, I posted my Breast Cancer Awareness Month post, and  linked it back to my sweet food blogger friend, Joanna, from ChicGorgeous  since she had the most gorgeous pink cupcakes posted.

Linking this with Hearth and Soul Blog Hop #69

Chocolate Chip Fudge Brownies
adapted from: Bon Appetit magazine 1999

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet Girardelli chocolate chopped
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup bittersweet Girardelli chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13x9x2 inch metal baking pan. Stir butter and bittersweet chocolate in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk eggs and 1 1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until pale yellow and light, about 3 minutes. Gradually, whisk in warm chocolate mixture. Whisk in vanilla, then flour. Mix in chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Cool brownies completely in pan on rack. Cut into squares. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) Store in airtight container at room temperature. You can sift powdered sugar over the top!

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes...and a special 7 Links



People tend to have addictions to all sorts of things, which I do not want to list right now, but if you would have a chocolate addiction like I do, and my granddaughter Gabby...you would understand why I on purposely do not bake a lot of things with chocolate, or even tempt my granddaughter with it.

I cannot trust myself to have chocolate around me, because I would eat the whole thing. Same thing goes for chocolate cake. So, I simply stay away from it, and have it once in a while, but honestly, if you're a "true chocolate lover" this would really satisfy your chocolate addiction. Not too sweet, not heavy, no cream added, just pure "chocolate heaven."

She must take after me, because she and I taste tested this Warm Chocolate Pudding cake, with the excuse of taking a photo of how it looks on the inside, just before my daughter served dinner...Gabby said to me "please don't tell mom I ate most of this...or she'll get so mad at me!..."and me"...I said. We not only taste tested it, but we ate the whole thing. The other spoon you see on the right is with another empty dish...and after that, we proceed to eat a nice dish of pasta, with homemade fresh tomato sauce, and a light salad.
Has any one of you done that? ...or are we just strange?

I'm linking my Warm Chocolate Putting Cakes, to Full Plate Thursday,
@Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Incidentally, I have left a comment @ Vicki's Blog At Home with Vicki Bensinger how I love to eat this pasta, with the fresh tomato sauce. She has just posted her recipe on it. Yumm!
Another delicious fresh tomato sauce recipe with Pennette, from Linda @ Vittles and Committals

Also, I wanted to share with you a special 7 Links from a wonderful blogger friend, Shabs,
@Yum and Delish whom I have tagged a couple weeks ago, if she would like to participate in rounding up her 7 links. She was so gracious and kind to keep me informed through e-mail, to let me know that she is still on vacation in her homeland, Kerala, India, and that she will post it when she comes back. Now, she has let me know on my previous post, commenting that she posted her 7 Links. She chose this gorgeous Strawberries and Cream Cake as her Most Beautiful Post...I do have to agree, and I'm sure you will too. Check out this amazing cake, and recipe, and her 7 links...you will be glad you did!

Strawberries and Cream Cake