Chocolate chip bars !!

I had completely forgotten about this little gems. They are soooo easy to make unlike the chocolate chip cookies I prefer...which are fabulous but a lot more work.

I wanted some sweet treat to share with my brother on his recent visit. In our family, desserts are very important and not just after dinner. We would eat dessert after breakfast if our breakfasts did not already include sweet things like cinnamon rolls, scones with jam, waffles with syrup & whipped cream etc...
So I looked up these bars from a post seven years ago. Not only are they easy to make, they make a lot, freeze or ship beautifully and taste great !!

Chocolate Chip Bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.
2) Beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.
3) Add the dry ingredients until mixed.
4) Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.
5) Spread the batter which will be stiff, into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan.
6) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Do not over bake.
7) Cool, cut and serve.

YUM !!

Orange Food Part 3: Cake !!

It's certainly citrus season around here. I have lots of my Satsuma mandarins and limes, friends and family are sharing their navel orange bounty.  

It's the perfect time to make this very orange cake. I was surprised when I found it several years ago while searching for a vegan orange cake to serve dinner guests, it was from Joy of Cooking !!

I have made it twice already this year.

The cake is delightful, moist, easy and very adaptable.
Very Orange Cake
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
 orange zest from one orange
Glaze
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest or tiny curls of peel

1) Preheat the oven 350 F. Grease and flour  a 9 inch round cake pan.

The original recipe called for an 8 inch pan, the first time I made it this year that's what I used, it overflowed the pan while baking...never a good thing, so be sure to go with a 9 inch round cake pan.

The original recipe also stressed the flouring part. I used spray oil and then floured it. I had no trouble removing it from the pan.

2) Grate the orange, and make juice to one cup. I was lucky and already had  a large jar made up.

3) In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients including the zest.

4) in a smaller bowl combine the liquid ingredients.

5) Add the liquid ingredients into the dry, mix just to blend.

6) Pour into the greased and floured pan, bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Do the toothpick trick to test for doneness. It will be a golden brown.

7) Cool for 10 minutes then carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before adding the glaze.
8)  In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup powered sugar, 1 teaspoon zest or tiny curls of peel. Start with 1 teaspoon of juice and add more to get a thick paste.

9) Apply the glaze to cover the top of the cake.

It is the perfect cake for tea time, brunch or dessert after dinner.

Wacky Cake

Yes, that's what it's called Wacky Cake. I love it just for the name. It's comes out of the Great Depression era when eggs, and dairy were scarce, before the word "vegan" was born. It's a moist spongy chocolate cake that will please any party, vegan or not.

I first had it when my always inspiring sister-in-law Gina made it. It's so simple and adaptable.
It would be perfect for any holiday potluck, office party or dessert with your holiday meal.


Sorry I don't have any photos of the finished product. It disappeared too fast !

Wacky Cake

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
2 cups sugar
½ cup cocoa powder ( unsweetened)
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cups canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 cups water

1) Preheat oven to 350 F.

2) Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt.

3) In another bowl mix the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water.

4) Pour the liquids into the flour mixture and mix until smooth.

5) Pour into a 9 X 13 inch ungreased pan.

6) Bake for 25-30 minutes.

7) Once the cake has cooled frost with your favorite frosting.

I like to frost it with this very simple ganache.


Dark Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients
1/2 cup soy milk
(If you are not concerned about the vegan aspect you can use milk or cream in place the soy milk.)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract ( or almond or peppermint)

1) Bring 1/2 of soy milk to a gentle boil in a small sauce pan.
2) Remove from heat pour over 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, let sit for 3-4 minutes.
3) Whisk until smooth.
4) Set aside at room temperature until you are ready to use it. It will solidify as it cools which makes it easier to spread.

This cake will lend itself to modification.
This time of year add peppermint extract to the cake or frosting and dust it with crushed candy canes.
Or go the almond route with almond extract and slivered almonds on top.
Use white frosting instead or try a German Chocolate frosting with coconut and pecans.

Coconut Bliss Balls

Coconut bliss balls is not the best name for these simple sweet treats, but it is the name they came with so that's what I will call them until I come up with a better name.
My friend Laurie made them for me once upon a time, then made me promise not to blog about them until she did. She has a wonderful food blog herself, check it out. I just looked and she posted about these treat back in December 2014...I guess it's OK if I post about them now ;-)

I was so impressed when I first ate them, then made them, with how simple they are...few ingredients and simple prep, almost too easy. They do need to chill several hours before serving, so take that into consideration if you plan to use them for dessert. They are vegan and gluten free, in case that matters...

Coconut Bliss Balls

Ingredients

    •    2 cup finely shredded coconut
    •    3 Tbsp. coconut oil
    •    2 Tbsp. maple syrup
    •    ½ tsp. vanilla extract
    •    1  cup dark chocolate chips
    •    sea salt

 Makes about 25-27 balls

1) Combine coconut, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor. Blend until well combined into a thick ‘crumb’.

2) Use your hands to mold the coconut crumb into bite-size balls. They should stick together nicely. Place the balls on a piece of wax paper. If you are having trouble getting them to stick together try chilling the mixture for an hour.

3) You can chill them once you formed them into balls or try to coat them now. It depends on the temperature of your kitchen. If you are in Baton Rouge like one of my favorite people, then chilling them will make them easier to dip.



4) When you are ready to dip the balls, melt chocolate chips, I like using the microwave for this, start with 1 minute, then stir, heat for 30 more seconds, stir, until you have a nice soft texture. You can use a double boiler if you prefer. I had trouble getting my soupy enough one time and found that a teaspoon of coconut oil added to the chocolate worked wonders.

5) Use a spoon to dip each ball into the chocolate. This is the messy and sometimes tricky part. Persevere ;-)

6) Sprinkle each ball with a bit of sea salt while the chocolate is still moist. I used this wonderful lavender rosemary sea salt my friend Joni made for me.

7) Refrigerate the balls for two hours (to harden) and enjoy!

Very easy brownies...thank you, Katharine Hepburn.

Somewhere, maybe Facebook, I saw this recipe for very easy brownies, purportedly from Katharine Hepburn. It intrigued me, usually the NY Times has pretty good stuff, foodwise.
While I like my divine brownie recipe, it does require cream cheese, lots of butter and three eggs.
This recipe looked simple and I had all the ingredients. I am glad I gave it a try. These are good basic brownies and as advertised, very easy to make. I didn't change a thing from the original recipe which is unusual for me. I have made them about four times now and have rapidly become a family favorite.

Katharine Hepburn's Brownies   

Ingredients
    •     ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    •    1/2 cup butter
    •    2 eggs
    •    1 cup sugar
    •    ¼ cup flour
    •    1 cup broken-up walnuts or pecans
    •    1 teaspoon vanilla
    •    pinch of salt

1.    Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8x8 inch pan.

2.    Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

3) Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.

4) In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts, and salt. 

5) Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.

6) Pour into a greased 8x8 square pan.

7) Bake 35-40 minutes. Do not overbake; they should be gooey. 

8) Here comes the hard part...let cool, and cut into bars.