Brookies

I came across the concept of these many times while browsing through Pinterest. However, as many photos as there were, I could never find a recipe! 

I decided to try them as a treat to cheer up someone who loves brownies and loves chocolate chip cookies! Those are pretty basic things to love. It's kind of hard to go wrong making either. 

I think I got this down pretty well even though the baking times for these are obviously very different! I wanted to preserve the tastes of each part of the Brookie and still get them to stick together. I had no problem getting them to do just that! The result was a gooey, soft cookie and a chewy brownie that's just sticky enough in the middle. They resemble mini muffins, and that's the kind of pan I used to make them. They are deadly sweet and the perfect size of you ask me. Anything bigger and I think they'd just be too rich!

Brownie Portion:

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

3/4 stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup flour

Cookie Portion:

1 cup flour

1/2 Tsp baking soda

1/4 Tsp salt

1 stick butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 pkg chocolate chips

Mix two separate batters up in a stand mixer or with bowls and an electric mixer.

I usually have no problem at all making batters like this is one bowl! I just don't see the point of dirtying so many bowls to separate wet and dry ingredients. Mix up the cookie one. Start with creaming the butter, then add in the sugar and other wet ingredients, followed by all the dry ingredients with the flour going in last and then fold in any mixings such as the chips. Set aside. 

Now mix up the brownie portion. Heat the butter and chocolate on the stove top in a small pan on low just until its completely melted. Then pour it into your mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, vanilla, and flour. Make sure that the mix isn't too warm to add in the eggs, if its cool enough, you can beat them in. 

Grease your pans well. Spoon brownie batter into the muffin pans until they are a bit more than half full. I used disposable pans, but I'm sure these are a lot easier to handle using a permanent pan. I just happened to be making them in someone else's kitchen so I bought these for the job. Bake the brownies in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. 

Remove mostly cooked brownies from the oven and allow to cool down for about 5 minutes. Cover with cookie mixture almost to the top of the tin wells. Continue to bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and check for thorough cooking with a toothpick. It should come out mostly clean and definitely not goopey. 

Get yourself a big glass of milk to enjoy these with. You won't be able to resist trying one right out of the oven!

Mini Stuffed Peppers

I came across a bag of these wonderful, colorful peppers while grocery shopping the other day and I knew I needed to make something out of them. 

I cooked up some jasmine rice and long grain rice in chicken broth instead of water, to add extra flavor. Then I added some tomato sauce and Italian seasoning and stuffed the peppers to the top. 

I stacked them tightly into a small casserole dish and topped with some shredded cheese. I baked them in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. I only served a couple as a side to my dinner. The rest got gently separated a bit and I placed the whole dish in the freezer for a few hours until they froze slightly. Then I threw them all into a freezer bag and now I have a side that I can pull out anytime for dinner. 

Hindsight:

These would be great with some ground beef added to them. That's the way I usually make stuffed peppers but I wanted a side to go with anything since I was going to use the predominantly for freezing. Trader Joe's has a great blend that I love to use called Harvest Grains that would be wonderful for this as well. It's a hearty mix of couscous, quinoa, rice, buckwheat, and rice. I highly suggest trying that. 

Low Fat Banana Muffins

I've been making this low fat banana muffin recipe for years every time I have bananas that are beginning to turn. For about 150 calories per full muffin, or under 40 for one of these mini muffins, you can't really go wrong! Mini muffins will yield a large batch, over 3 dozen muffins. As you can see, I made some small banana breads as well with the extra batter!

 

2 bananas, mashed

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup margarine or butter spread

2 eggs

1/8 cup water

1 1/2 cups flour

1 Tsp baking soda

1/4 Tsp baking powder

1/2 Tsp salt

 

In a stand mixer, cream the margarine or butter until soft and then add in the bananas, mashing completely. Add in the eggs and water, mixing gently. While the mixer is turning, add in the sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Lastly, fold the flour into your batter.



 Fill up muffin pans or paper liners about 1/2 to 3/4 full and bake in a 350 degree oven until a toothpick comes out clean. Mine usually take about 20-25 minutes for regular muffins and 15-20 minutes for mini muffins. You can also make banana bread loaves with this batter. Baking time will be about an hour.

Cool and store in a Ziploc bag on the counter for several days or in the fridge for a week or more.

Black Bean & Quinoa Veggie Burgers

I'm far from a vegetarian! But sometimes, a veggie fake out certainly can help your diet. I wanted to try something with a big more flavor and texture than my Meatless Sweet Potato Burgers. These fit the bill.

 

2 cups quinoa, cooked
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp mixed up salt
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 large egg
2/3 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp Adobo seasoning
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup oats

 

Recipe Adapted from Prevention RD

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Once cooled, mix in a large bowl with all other ingredients. Form six equal sized large balls and press down on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours. The longer they are refrigerated, the better they will stay together. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes on each side, flipping once during baking. Serve on a hamburger roll.

For a gluten free burger, use a rice or oat flour instead!

 

These burgers also freeze wonderfully! Just freeze them a bit on the baking sheet and then pop into freezer bags and store in the freezer until ready to cook or defrost.



Taco Mac & Cheese

My husband loves taco anything! Ask him any night what he wants for dinner and you will have him say "TACO!" It's pretty much a running joke now. So, naturally I'm always scoping out taco recipes. I'm always up for pasta and this gives a taco twist to an American Chop Suey.

 

1 lb of your favorite pasta, cooked

1 lb ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 packet taco seasoning

1 cup salsa

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

2 cups milk

2 Tbsp cream cheese

 

Recipe Adapted from Cassie Craves

 

Cook past according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

 

Spray a skillet with some nonstick spray and add onions and garlic. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, until they start to caramelize. Add in the beef and seasoning, breaking the beef apart as it cooks.

 

When the beef is thoroughly cooked, add in the salsa, sour cream, cream cheese, and cheese. Mix well until all cheese is melted and blended in. Lastly, add the milk and mix well. Cover and simmer on low for 5 minutes.



Mix in your pasta.

Garnish with salsa and sour cream and enjoy!



Peach Melba

If you've never had Peach Melba, you are doing yourself a great disservice! This was a coveted dessert for me in my youth at restaurants. My father is not a dessert guy, but he loves fruit. This is one of his favorites. Finding them on a menu is no easy task. They are fairly simple to make, and well worth the rewards!

 

I did some peach picking at Connors Farm and stocked up to make some desserts to put away. I kept a few fresh ones for the Melba. Serve with some vanilla ice cream and you will be in heaven!

 

Recipe Adapted from Epicurious

Gently scrub the outside of your peaches under running water to remove any dirt and debris. Remove the stems. Slice them down the middle, all the way around, cutting all the way through. Then place one side in the palm of each hand and rotate the sides. They should come apart very easily and expose the pit to be removed. Cover with a 2:1 ratio of water to sugar, just enough to cover the peaches, in a small stockpot. 

Bring syrup to a boil and simmer peaches 5 minutes on each side. Turn off heat and cover, leaving the peaches to poach for 60-90 minutes.

Strain the peaches out of the syrup, but do not discard! This is amazing to add to some unsweetened iced tea! You will not go wrong, so put it in a container and leave it in your fridge to enjoy.

While the peaches are boiling, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar to the empty saucepan. Bring to a boil and add 1 package of frozen or fresh raspberries. Simmer an additional 5-10 minutes until the raspberries begin to break apart. Cool down to room temperature and then stir in 2 Tsp lemon juice.

Pour raspberry syrup over your peaches! Enjoy!

Any additional raspberry syrup can also be used to sweeten iced tea. How will you ever choose between peach or raspberry teas?



Seafood Cannelloni

Sticking with the theme of lasagna rolls this week, I present my last version of Seafood Cannelloni. I love the taste of this dish but, I've ordered it in a restaurant a few times and the portion sizes are definitely something to frown about. Most times, you get 2 or 3 pieces of pasta, boo! So, why not make them at home and have as much as you want?

 

My seafood part of it was nothing crazy. Some imitation crab meat and salad shrimp, but you can add anything you like. Scallops, clams, crab meat, lobster, or anything like that would be awesome with this dish. You can make it as expensive or as inexpensive as you want!

 

1 package Lasagna, cooked

1/2 package imitation crab meat, shredded

1 package or can salad shrimp
1/4 cup shredded cheese mix

2 cups finely chopped cherry tomatoes

1 scallion, chopped

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp light cream

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

2 Tbsp finely chopped carrot

2 Tbsp finely chopped celery

3 Tbsp chopped onions

1 cup white cooking wine

1/2 Tsp lemon pepper

1 Tsp fresh lemon juice

Recipe Adapted from Epicurious

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay them all out flat on counter top or work surface.

Shred your crabmeat and place into a bowl with the shrimp. Mix and season with lemon pepper and toss with lemon.

Spread the seafood mixture evenly over all the lasagna noodles being used.

Begin preparing your sauce by chopping all chopped vegetables and placing them into a saucepan. Add tomato paste, cream, and butter and saute for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to get tender. Add cooking wine and stir frequently until the sauce comes to a full, rolling boil.

Spoon sauce over the seafood on each noodle. Roll jellyroll style, from one end up into rolls. Gently place them in a small casserole dish. Spoon over any extra sauce and top with shredded cheese. Bake  covered with aluminum foil in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Caprese Lasagna Rolls

I was so happy with Lasagna Rollata, that I thought I'd go right on ahead and try a new Caprese recipe. I definitely wanted the full on mozzarella taste with no ricotta (but I added it to the sauce). The recipe I was basing this on was using shredded mozzarella cheese, which I didn't think would be authentic in taste. I went for the small mozzarella balls and had no problems at all with using them.

1 package Lasagna, cooked
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

10 small fresh mozzarella balls

2 Tsp garlic powder

1 Tsp onion powder

2 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced and halved

1/4 cup very finely chopped fresh basil

Sauce:

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese
leftover filling

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Recipe Adapted from Cooking Classy

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay out flat on counter top or work surface. Take mozzarella balls out of any water or brine that they are packaged in and lay them out on some paper towels. Cover them and give them a gentle squeeze to get off any excess water. Then, throw them into a food processor and puree into a paste. Add the garlic and onion powders.

Using spoonfuls, spread the filling thoroughly over one side with the back of the spoon. Space your tomato slices evenly over the lasagna, starting about a half inch from the first edge that you will roll. Roll jellyroll style, from one end up into rolls. The filling makes an adequate "glue" and they should stay together well. Gently lay them down in a casserole dish.

Add any leftover filling to a saucepan with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Heat and mix thoroughly over medium heat until the sauce begins to boil. Pour over lasagna rolls evenly. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

 

Lasagna Rollata

Before I share a new recipe with you, I'd like to apologize for my absence on here. Basically, as most people do, I can admit that I have had too much on my plate. My husband (and some friends) had remarked that I seem to only be happy when life is so crazy this way. Between photography, work, 3 dive clubs, marine mammal strandings, cooking, blogging, and a personal life...something had to give. Apparently this was the thing.

 

Looking back, I was shocked the other day to see that I had only published one blog last month. Since I originally wanted to have one everyday (a crazy goal!), this was certainly not how it turned out. Although my cameras, phone, and computer is filled with plenty of material, I have to put it all together and I'm going to be happy if I can publish a few blogs a week from now on. I apologize for starting out like gangbusters and then fizzling out but, I don't want to ever really quit doing this so unfortunately this is the way I have to do it. I hope my followers and readers understand and stick with me on my journey. Okay...on to the recipes!

 

1 package Lasagna, cooked
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Filling:
1 large egg, beaten

1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

2 Tsp garlic powder

1 Tsp onion powder

Sauce:
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese
leftover filling
 

Recipe Adapted from Recipes, Recipes, Recipes

I've mentioned before that I am not a fan or ricotta. My tastes have certainly grown to like it more as an adult, though. I just makes sure it's thoroughly spiced up so it doesn't taste bland to me.

 

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl for the filling. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay out flat on counter top or work surface.

Using spoonfuls, spread the filling thoroughly over one side with the back of the spoon. Roll jellyroll style, from one end up into rolls. The filling makes an adequate "glue" and they should stay together well. Stand them up on their ends tightly placed in a small casserole dish. If you have empty space on one side of the pan, you can fill it up with meatballs, sausages, or whatever you might have on hand to compliment the dish.

Add any leftover filling to a saucepan with the rest of the sauce ingredients. Heat and mix thoroughly over medium heat until the sauce begins to boil. Pour over rollata evenly and top them with breadcrumbs. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

 



Fall Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I know I'm jumping the gun here but, I love the fall in New England! I love everything about living here and actually getting to experience foliage when we don't just have an onslaught of rain. Fall is my favorite season. I'm a sucker for the Topsfield Fair, apple picking, Pumpkin Spice lattes, cider donuts, the smell of our first fire, cuddling in sweatshirts, plaid shirts, and boots. Let's not forget pumpkin carving! Every year I try to carve some elaborate pumpkin for my house and end up with all these seeds! 

I'm not a fan of pumpkin seeds. For years, I tried recipe after recipe, and just never cared for them. Since I hate to waste anything, I kept making them until I came up with this one. Now, I leave them on a dish on my counter after I make them and they are gone in no time! The flavoring captures everything I love about fall in New England! And don't throw away that pumpkin either! I have plenty of recipes for not just pies but, pumpkin cookies, muffins, and loaves that will make you want to savor every bit of your carving pumpkin. 

Take a large carving pumpkin (mine was 12 lbs) and scoop out all the seeds. Try to separate as much of the seeds as you can from the pumpkin goo (That's the technical term, right?) but don't wash them. Put them in a bowl and toss them with 3 Tbsp of apple juice or cider and 1 Tsp of maple syrup. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and pour the seeds out onto it and spread them out evenly. It does get sticky so if you have a new pan, you might want to use aluminum foil to line the pan. Then I put a few Tbsp of vanilla extract in a squirt bottle and evenly spray the seeds. A Misto works well but spray generously! Then sprinkle them with 1/2 Tsp nutmeg and 1Tbsp of cinnamon and roast in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes. I make sure they are well dried out in the center. Let cool for a few minutes but don't wait too long or they will dry very sticky and hard. Use a metal spatula to scrape them off the pan and mix them up and separate. Wait until they are completely cool before packaging them up at all, but they last a long time covered or in plastic. I've kept them to top baking dishes months later and they are just as good as the day you made them! 

Monte Cristos

 If you've never had a monte cristo, I'm afraid you are missing out. I am not a person who mixes foods at all. If they made separated plates in fine china, I would own them. This is one of these dishes that "it's ok because someone else did it and it's accepted". That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

A monte cristo is basically a sandwich made of ham, turkey, and various cheeses that is coated in a pancake like batter, pan fried, and served with a fruit jelly! This would surely wow any brunch guest. You can serve them cold as well but, they are better warm and melty. 

The first batch, I made for some guests and used leftover hamburger buns. Traditionally, it's made with bread and there is an extra piece in the middle, kind of like a Big Mac. I preferred the thickness of hamburger buns. The second time I did it (above), I used some cinnamon raisin bread. Use your creativity because mostly anything can go here. The only thing I wouldn't do is use condiments on the sandwiches. 

Layer the cheese closest to each slice of bread. I used cheddar and American but, again use Swiss, Monterrey Jack...whatever you like. Then layer turkey and ham on each side and close the sandwich. Press down hard on each sandwich to squish it. Then stack them and press down hard again to get them nice and thin. 

They should be refrigerated as long as possible. It's best to assemble the sandwiches the day before if you can! This helps seal them together. 

When you are ready to fry them up, heat up a nonstick skillet on low. The popular way to cook these is to use oil and fry them but I just can't cook like that. A bit of spreadable butter will do well pan frying them for me. 

Mix up a pancake like batter. This is what I use:

1/2 cup flour
3/4 Tsp baking powder
1/8 Tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 Tsp vegetable oil

Your batter should be runny, so you want to thin it out with water or milk. It should coat the sandwiches without allowing you to see the meat and cheese but not be as thick as batter. Then, carefully dip the sandwiches and fry them for 2-3 minutes on each side until brown. 

While still hot, dust them with some sifted powdered sugar. They are mostly served dipped in raspberry jam, but strawberry or blackberry work as well. Enjoy the eewy gooey breakfast goodness!