Chocolate Crinkles Version 1

I call this version one because I am working on an experiment with these decadent chocolate cookies.

These cookies are a holiday classic. You can make them with chocolate chips, cherries, or sprinkles and they are always delicious and moist and chewy and ahhhh.

I just started reading Tina Fey's book, Bossypants.

It is hilarious. I was laughing by myself on the train yesterday and I am pretty sure the people surrounding me thought I was insane. But, it is seriously just so funny. She is great. And, if you have never watched 30 Rock before... watch it. Now.

The entire book is witty and colloquial. She is honest, and not bearing-her-soul-uncomfortable-honesty, but more like tells-the-truth-and-embarrasses-herself-in-a-comforting-and-personable-way-honesty.

Sorry if that was confusing.

Anyway, buy the book, it is moronic but in the best way.

Okay so these cookies are delightful. Experiment with them if you like and I will share my special version soon.

Chocolate Crinkles Version 1

Adapted From Martha Stewart: Cookies

Yields about 48 cookies

• 8 oz. Quality Dark Chocolate (Scharffen Berger's 70%)
• 1 1/4 cup Flour
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Salted Butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups Light Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/3 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar

Melt chocolate in a double boiler until smooth. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

In a larger bowl, mix the butter and brown sugar together with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. Mix in the chocolate and blend till smooth. Scrape down the sides and add the flour in two additions, alternating with the milk. 

Wrap this bowl in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.

When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Roll one inch balls in the sugar and then in the powdered sugar. Place them about an inch apart and bake for 14-15 minutes.
Let cool before serving.
Or not.

BON APPETIT!

Inside Out English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich

This was one of those ideas that had been brewing in my head for quite a while.

For about 4 weeks, I have been making myself a tradition egg-in-the-hole/toad-in-the-hole/egg-in-a-window/whatever you call it, every single morning.
I like to use salty butter because brings out a lot more flavor.
I also am a pepper fiend, so I grate a lot of fresh pepper over it.

I've heard that some people put syrup on theirs.
My dad said he did that when he was little.
I guess it sort of makes sense? It is basically french toast!

Anyways, this little breakfast sandwich is not very complicated!
Follow the steps carefully and you will have a delicious little breakfast sammie.

P.S. this is what it should look like before it is cooked!

Inside Out English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich

• 1 English Muffin, I use Bays
• 1 slice Cheddar or American Cheese
• 3 tablespoons Salted Butter, room temperature
• 1 Large Egg

Start by putting a large skilled on the stove at medium heat.

Pull the english muffin apart and spread a tablespoon+ of butter on either the cut side. Put the backs of the muffins together and place a slice of cheese in between. To cut the hole in the center, you can use a little circular cookie cutter. However, I find that is easier to use a sharp knife to cut a circle, but be very careful! Save the circle if you want to cook that too!

When you are ready, spread a little butter on the griddle and place the sandwich on top, turn the heat up to medium-highish. Quickly crack an egg into the center and let sit for about 2 minutes. (You can place the center you cut out on now as well) Flip and grill on the other side as well for 2 minutes. You want to be careful not to cook the yolk so watch the egg.

Serve with salt and pepper! Or Lawrys Seasoned Salt! Yummmmm!

Caramel Cake

I feel like this post needs some sort of special recognition.

Whenever someone asks me what my "specialty" is, my immediate response is, "CARAMEL CAKE!"

It is literally so perfectly good.

The cake is moist because you gently fold the egg whites into the batter.

The frosting deserves to be famous. It is a brown sugar frosting, also known as penuche.

It is made by boiling brown sugar into milk and butter.

Then you add some powdered sugar and spread it over the warm or cooled cake(s).

I am trying to find words to describe the deliciousness of this cake.

One of my most obsessed-with-caramel-cake friends, Jenna, was my sous-chef while making this.

This lady is one of my caramel cake's biggest fans. There are many other, very big fans, but she and her family can devour one the fastest...

The yellow cake base is probably the best yellow cake recipe I have ever made.

Like better than America's Test Kitchen...

You don't have to put the frosting on it, you could use anything, but... why wouldn't you use the most amazing frosting in the world...

You can stack round or square layers, but if so you can't frost the sides.

You could frost individual round or square layers and give them away separately.

Or you can just eat it straight out of a 9x13" pan.

Caramel Cake

From Birthday Cakes: Recipes and Memoirs from Celebrated Bakers
Yields about 24 Servings

Cake Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Salted Butter, room temperature
• 2 cups Sugar
• 4 Large Eggs, separated
• 1 cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour your desired pan(s), you can either use 1-9x13" pan, 3-8" square pans, 3-8" round pans, or 24 muffin cups.

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a larger bowl, blend the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, blending well after each addition. Scrape down the sides. Now add the flour and the milk, alternating between the two, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Whisk in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff and form peaks, but not dry. Gently fold these in to the batter. 

Pour batter into pans evenly and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.

Bake for about 20-40 minutes (the 9x13" pan takes about 40). The cake should be golden and a cake tester should come out clean, with no crumbs. You can make the frosting while the cake is baking.

Caramel Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Salted Butter
• 1 1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup Milk
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and milk and bring the mixture to a boil. This helps dissolve the sugar so your frosting isn't grainy. Once it boils set it aside to let it cool.

When the cake comes out of the oven, add the powdered sugar to the brown sugar mixture. Wait for the cakes to cool and then spread it over the tops. This frosting is not very spreadable. You likely won't be able to get it around the sides of the cake but that is okay! It tastes PERFECT, and looks rustic!

Banana Nutella Muffins

Just make these now.

Unfortunately, I am slightly allergic to bananas.

When I eat them my tongue gets all tender and itchy.

I probably shouldn't eat them at all, but they're so delicious!

The weird thing is, when I eat banana bread/cake/muffins/cookies/etc. I don't get that itchy, tender feeling!

I don't know what it is but it just doesn't happen, maybe some part bakes out or I don't know.

It is an incredible thing.

I am not as big of a nutella fan as I was when I was little.

My mom used to buy jars of it with graham crackers and pretzels. My siblings and I would come home from school and have this delicious, yet incredibly unhealthy... after school snack.

I'm sure at some point I have had a nutella and banana crepe or sandwich.

It is a perfect combination!

You could replace nutella with peanut butter, or almond butter... or neither.

You could add nuts, chocolate chips, or whatever you like!

This banana muffin recipe is super versatile so feel free to let those creative juices flow.

Happy Breakfast!!

Banana Nutella Muffins

• 2 cups Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Coarse Salt
• 3 Large Bananas, over ripened and mashed
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Light or Dark Brown Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1/4 cup Canola Oil
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• Nutella (small jar)
• 1 cup of Nuts or Chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together bananas, sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Add the egg, oil, and vanilla and whisk until just combined. Carefully sprinkle the flour mixture over the wet mixture and fold until no flour streaks remain. Add nuts or chips if you are using them.

Use a large ice cream scoop to put about 1/4 cup of mixture into each muffin cup. If you are using nutella, use a smaller ice cream scoop to place about a teaspoon of nutella on each muffin. You can microwave the nutella for about 15 seconds to make it a little smoother. Next take a toothpick and lightly swirl around the nutella and muffin batter. 

Bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed, golden and no longer jiggly. If you stick a toothpick in it should come out with few to no crumbs.

Easy Pizza Dough

I have been craving homemade pizza for too long now.

I mean, there is no competition with Lou Malnati's Chicago deep dish, but it is still so satisfying.

It also isn't super labor intensive which I personally find refreshing.

If you want to eat this for dinner, I would recommend starting at like 4, that way it will be ready by 7ish.

I made two kinds of pizza. The first was a simple cheese and tomato sauce pizza.

Normally I would make my own tomato sauce but I was being extremely impatient.

I have been out of ingredients for a while. I have had no access to a car and therefore no access to the grocery store (well limited access).

So, I went with the ingredients I had for the first pizza. I spread some tomato sauce on top and then sprinkled some random organic shredded cheddar and some leftover gorgonzola crumbles.

YUM!

Was not expecting this pizza to be as good as it was!

I had three pieces... whoops.

They're little pizzas...

Next, once my brothers arrived with my ingredients, I made a pizza with bacon, blue cheese, fontina, and figs! I got this idea from How Sweet It Is (I also used her dough recipe!)

I always switch up the dough recipes I use. I haven't settled on one specific that I love. 

To be honest, I think a lot of basic pizza dough recipes taste the same (and they are divine).

Have fun making your za! Enjoy a slice for meeeee

Basic Pizza Dough

Adapted from How Sweet It Is

Yields 2 Medium-Sized Pizzas

• 1 1/4 cups Warm Water (about 110 degrees, microwave at 50% for 40 seconds)
• 3 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Bread Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt

Start off by preheating your oven to 150. 

In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, honey, and olive oil. Let sit until foamy, about five minutes. Add the 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. 

Now, take the bread flour and sprinkle it on a surface. 

Turn the dough out onto this and knead until all the flour is incorporated. This can take about 3-5 minutes. Then I like to knead my dough (because I am weird and love kneading dough) for about 5 minutes more till it is really smooth and elastic.

Rub the large bowl with olive oil, place the dough in it and flip it over so both sides are coated. Cover with a wet towel. Turn off the oven and place the bowl inside so it can proof for about 1-2 hours. It should double in size.

Once it has doubled, punch down the dough and turn it out on to a lightly floured surface. Cut in to two even portions. I roll my dough into two balls and then shape each of them by hand on two separate baking sheets with parchment paper. You can roll it out with a rolling pin if that is easier!

Let the dough rest, covered with a towel, for 10 minutes while you preheat your oven to 375. You can also place the dough in the freezer at this point if you are going to save it (remember to take the dough out to thaw for about 30-45 minutes when you are ready to use).

Decorate with desired toppings and bake for 20-30 minutes just on the parchment paper. I use the pans to help take the pizzas out.

Bon Appetit!