Do you want to know my secret to the most delicious, awesome brownies? Cardboard.
I admit it. My favorite brownies come from a boxed mix. I can also make brownies from scratch that are pretty darn good, and I'm not ashamed to serve them. But the wow brownies are the ones I get from the baking aisle at the grocery store.
Two brands I like are Ghirardelli and Hershey's. Both of them are double chocolate chunk or triple chocolate chunk or something like that. I like to go to Sam's and get the economy packs that have four mixes in each box. That way, I can make an 8 x 8 pan with one mix or a 13 x 9 pan with two, so no matter where I need to take them I'm covered.
I will say that wherever I take them they are well received. They are creamy/chewy in the center with a thin crust on the top. Just enough crust to provide additional texture and make them interesting. They don't come with nuts which I like in brownies but they could be added easily.
I'm a purist. I like English walnuts in my brownies. Period. No black walnuts, no pecans, no pistachios. No almonds. Don't tell me they are great in brownies. The only thing great in brownies are English walnuts and chocolate chunks. Not mint chocolate chunks. Chocolate.
If you want to mess with the brownies by sticking strange stuff in them, call them something else. Pistachio-Mint Choco Chews or something like that.
I do make Blonde Brownies which is just a chocolate chip cookie dough spread in a pan rather than dropped by spoonful. I make them when I don't have time to wait on individual pans of cookies to bake. But they're not really brownies and I don't pretend they are. And I would call them Chocolate Chip Bars but my husband has always called them Blonde Brownies so I let him.
I'm going to be baking tomorrow. Can't wait to lick the bowl.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Chocoloco
I haven't had any chocolate today. At least I haven't had any chocolate I remember. That may be a sign I eat too much chocolate--when I eat it and don't even remember eating it. But I don't think I ate any because there is nothing in the house except dark chocolate Raisinets and chocolate bits and I'm pretty sure I didn't get into those.
No wonder I feel a little off.
We've got a trip to the store planned to get back on the chocolate track. I also have plans to do some baking this week which will include my chocolate chip biscotti. It's basically a chocolate chip cookie recipe baked in a 13x9 pan that is lined with foil. After it's baked and sat for an hour in the pan, you lift it out by the foil and then slice it in half-inch slices. Then it's baked again until browned on the edges. It is the most amazing stuff ever. And it's unbelievable when it's fresh out of the oven.
I also need to have some M&M's or some sort of chocolate miniatures on hand. The M&M's at the grocery store have not been good lately so I'm not sure what we'll get. We usually get dark chocolate peanut M&M's and the peanuts have been a little iffy. Maybe we'll stop by the drugstore for those.
Guess I'd better go make up a list.
No wonder I feel a little off.
We've got a trip to the store planned to get back on the chocolate track. I also have plans to do some baking this week which will include my chocolate chip biscotti. It's basically a chocolate chip cookie recipe baked in a 13x9 pan that is lined with foil. After it's baked and sat for an hour in the pan, you lift it out by the foil and then slice it in half-inch slices. Then it's baked again until browned on the edges. It is the most amazing stuff ever. And it's unbelievable when it's fresh out of the oven.
I also need to have some M&M's or some sort of chocolate miniatures on hand. The M&M's at the grocery store have not been good lately so I'm not sure what we'll get. We usually get dark chocolate peanut M&M's and the peanuts have been a little iffy. Maybe we'll stop by the drugstore for those.
Guess I'd better go make up a list.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Dark chocolate everything
Dark chocolate is all the rage right now. Something about antioxidants and stimulating the production of endorphins. Most of the major brand candy makers jumped on the bandwagon and are creating dark chocolate versions of their best sellers. Is this a good thing? Let's discuss.
1. Where were they years ago when all I could find was a Hershey's Special Dark bar to satisfy my semi-sweet tooth? I'm holding a bit of a grudge about that.
2. Some things shouldn't be included in the fad, like things I don't really like anyway. Why? Because of my grudge. What? I can't remember for sure but I'm thinking the dark Milky Way bar didn't do it for me.
3. Some things should be included in the fad but aren't. I love M&M's. I love them any which way including plain, peanut, almond and peanut butter. So far, I've only been able to find the plain and peanut M&M's in dark chocolate. Finish the job!
4. Some things are made awesome. I could ignore Raisinets and did for years. Now that they make them with dark chocolate, I consider them a delicious health food. Dark chocolate! Dried fruit! Together! There is no downside!
5. Dark chocolate packages of Hershey's miniatures? Killer! Just think about a wonderful medley of tiny little Special Darks, Krackel, and Mr. Goodbars. But I miss the fourth offering that the original miniatures had. I know they can't make the Hershey's Bar dark because then it becomes a Special Dark, but can't they come up with a number four? Something with peanut butter maybe? Almonds? It's doable!
6. I found some dark chocolate covered Altoids that were pretty darn good. I'm not an Altoid nut like my husband, and I'm not a peppermind fiend. but the dark chocolate covered ones weren't bad.
7. Let's see. What was the discussion about?
Okay. Here is one of my favorite snacks or mix for when I'm feeling that I need to eat healthy even if I'm not eating light. It is awesome and infinitely modifiable.
Mix approximately equal parts of:
Spanish peanuts
Dried blueberries
Dark chocolate Raisinets
Mariani Premium dried fruit mix in Harvest Medley (tiny bits of apples, cherries, and I can't remember what else)
Eat. Feel good about yourself. Pat yourself on the back. Repeat.
1. Where were they years ago when all I could find was a Hershey's Special Dark bar to satisfy my semi-sweet tooth? I'm holding a bit of a grudge about that.
2. Some things shouldn't be included in the fad, like things I don't really like anyway. Why? Because of my grudge. What? I can't remember for sure but I'm thinking the dark Milky Way bar didn't do it for me.
3. Some things should be included in the fad but aren't. I love M&M's. I love them any which way including plain, peanut, almond and peanut butter. So far, I've only been able to find the plain and peanut M&M's in dark chocolate. Finish the job!
4. Some things are made awesome. I could ignore Raisinets and did for years. Now that they make them with dark chocolate, I consider them a delicious health food. Dark chocolate! Dried fruit! Together! There is no downside!
5. Dark chocolate packages of Hershey's miniatures? Killer! Just think about a wonderful medley of tiny little Special Darks, Krackel, and Mr. Goodbars. But I miss the fourth offering that the original miniatures had. I know they can't make the Hershey's Bar dark because then it becomes a Special Dark, but can't they come up with a number four? Something with peanut butter maybe? Almonds? It's doable!
6. I found some dark chocolate covered Altoids that were pretty darn good. I'm not an Altoid nut like my husband, and I'm not a peppermind fiend. but the dark chocolate covered ones weren't bad.
7. Let's see. What was the discussion about?
Okay. Here is one of my favorite snacks or mix for when I'm feeling that I need to eat healthy even if I'm not eating light. It is awesome and infinitely modifiable.
Mix approximately equal parts of:
Spanish peanuts
Dried blueberries
Dark chocolate Raisinets
Mariani Premium dried fruit mix in Harvest Medley (tiny bits of apples, cherries, and I can't remember what else)
Eat. Feel good about yourself. Pat yourself on the back. Repeat.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
A day without chocolate....
....is just stupid.
I'm 51 and I have chocolate nearly every day. That kind of sounds like "I'm Shirley and I'm an alcoholic" doesn't it? Although I do like the occasional glass of wine or fruity mixed drink, I could give them up in a heartbeat. I could not, however, give up my chocolate.
I'm thinking you are like me. If you weren't, you wouldn't have Googled "eating chocolate" and ended up here after sorting through the gabillion sites that particular search brings up. Enjoying chocolate is complex. It is fun and satisfying on a very basic level, and it can also be a complicated endeavor. I prefer dark. Given the choice, I rarely go for milk chocolate, but it will do in a pinch. I prefer my chocolate to be of a little better quality, but the waxy drugstore bargain brand will take the edge off until I can get the good stuff. I prefer it to be unencumbered, but will eat it with (certain) nuts, fillings, fruits (dried), baked in a cookie or hardened on the outside of an ice cream cone.
I'm not really overweight, but I've got about 20 pounds that I can probably blame on chocolate. (I almost changed that number to 15 but I need to be honest here.) I think that's a small price to pay for the happiness factor that chocolate brings. It's good anticipating it, it's good going down, it's good savoring the flavor in your mouth long after it's gone. It's pretty. It smells awesome. Heck, it's better than most dates.
So maybe I just need to celebrate it. I have recipes and anecdotes, and I'm always getting more. It seemed like a good idea to put them together and invite others to add their own. I'm not a chocolate snob. Recipes can be simple, complex, or just a recommendation of a good brownie mix. It can even be just a suggestion to use it in a way that is unusual. Here is mine for the day:
I made come caramel corn the other day and when it had cooled, I drizzled lines of melted semi-sweet chocolate bits on top. It went over big at my office where I took it so I wouldn't eat the whole darn thing.
So let's see where this goes.
I'm 51 and I have chocolate nearly every day. That kind of sounds like "I'm Shirley and I'm an alcoholic" doesn't it? Although I do like the occasional glass of wine or fruity mixed drink, I could give them up in a heartbeat. I could not, however, give up my chocolate.
I'm thinking you are like me. If you weren't, you wouldn't have Googled "eating chocolate" and ended up here after sorting through the gabillion sites that particular search brings up. Enjoying chocolate is complex. It is fun and satisfying on a very basic level, and it can also be a complicated endeavor. I prefer dark. Given the choice, I rarely go for milk chocolate, but it will do in a pinch. I prefer my chocolate to be of a little better quality, but the waxy drugstore bargain brand will take the edge off until I can get the good stuff. I prefer it to be unencumbered, but will eat it with (certain) nuts, fillings, fruits (dried), baked in a cookie or hardened on the outside of an ice cream cone.
I'm not really overweight, but I've got about 20 pounds that I can probably blame on chocolate. (I almost changed that number to 15 but I need to be honest here.) I think that's a small price to pay for the happiness factor that chocolate brings. It's good anticipating it, it's good going down, it's good savoring the flavor in your mouth long after it's gone. It's pretty. It smells awesome. Heck, it's better than most dates.
So maybe I just need to celebrate it. I have recipes and anecdotes, and I'm always getting more. It seemed like a good idea to put them together and invite others to add their own. I'm not a chocolate snob. Recipes can be simple, complex, or just a recommendation of a good brownie mix. It can even be just a suggestion to use it in a way that is unusual. Here is mine for the day:
I made come caramel corn the other day and when it had cooled, I drizzled lines of melted semi-sweet chocolate bits on top. It went over big at my office where I took it so I wouldn't eat the whole darn thing.
So let's see where this goes.
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