Browned Butter Espresso Brownies

This is my favorite brownie recipe ever. For me, the perfect brownie should be super indulgent. None of that dry cakey-ness that passes for brownies at the super market. The perfect brownie should have an ever so slightly crunchy 'skin' on the exterior that leads way to chewy melt-in-your-mouth chocolate goodness inside. It's ok if there are chocolate chips in there, but the base of the brownie should really be able to stand on its own.

Before I became a baker my favorite brownie mix was Ghiardelli's- those brownies embodied what a real brownie should be. Then I set foot in the kitchen and for years I absolutely loved the brownie recipe in Tartine- the use of chocolate in them instead of cocoa powder made for intensely rich brownies. But then these fell into my lap mouth and it's been a love-affair ever since. The brown butter adds a touch of nuttiness and the espresso just strengthens that chocolate flavor ten-fold. These are everything a brownie should be. The only terrible thing about them is that they fill your home with amazing chocolate aroma and then you have to wait for them to cool down before you can indulge!

Browned Butter Espresso Brownies

(Slightly adapted from Bon Appetit)

- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons espresso or strong coffee
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare an 8x8" square pan by lining it with foil.

- Melt the butter in a small saucepan; use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir the butter around occasionally. The butter will begin to boil, once this happens keep an eye on it and stir more frequently. The bubbles will get very big and then start to shrink back down and you'll start to see brown specks making their way up to the top. Once the brown specks appear start to scrape the bottom of the pan. When the butter is a light golden brown color, (this shouldn't take more than a minute or two) take the saucepan off the heat.

- In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt with a whisk. Stir in the browned butter, making sure to scrape all the brown speckled goodness out from the bottom of the pan as well. Stir everything well with your wooden spoon or spatula and add the vanilla extract and espresso (or strong coffee), stirring well to incorporate. Add in the eggs and stir well to combine. Add the flour and stir just until incorporated.

- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top starts to crack slightly. Let cool completely before cutting.

- Enjoy! Brownies will keep for a few days in an airtight container; they'll keep even longer in the refrigerator.

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Orzo with Brussels Sprouts & Bacon

I never thought I would say this, but I love brussels sprouts. I didn't grow up eating them, so I never knew much about them, other than the perceived notion that they were every single kid's least favorite food. (Am I imagining this? I sincerely recall brussels sprouts always being the response to the question "What food do you really hate?") Well, let me tell you... go to your local farm and pick up a stalk - you will not regret it! They're like mini-cabbage, but with a mild flavor. They're an interesting cross between a leafy green and a hearty vegetable; they have enough texture to stand on their own but they don't have an overpowering flavor so they pair very well with other things.

We bought a giant stalk of brussels sprouts from a farm nearby; they had just been picked that morning. There were so many of them! I didn't know what to do. I made a potato and brussels sprouts hash with half of them, but I wanted to make something a little heartier with the rest. After scouring some recipes online, here's what I came up with.

Orzo with Brussels Sprouts & Bacon

Adapted from this recipe.

- 8 slices of bacon (or more!)
- 1-lb orzo pasta
- olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1-lb brussels sprouts
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche
- 1/4 cup grated asiago cheese
- zest of 1 lemon
- salt and pepper

- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, thinly slice the garlic cloves and set them aside. Trim the brussels sprouts, then shred the them with a food processor if you have one, or thinly slice them with a knife if you don't. Set those aside as well. Cut the bacon into 1-inch strips and lay them out on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until bacon is crispy and completely cooked.

- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the orzo, cook according to the time specified on the bag. Once cooked, strain the pasta and set aside. In the same pot, heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot, and once the oil is warm toss in the sliced garlic. When the garlic starts to turn slightly brown (it doesn't take long at all), toss in the brussels sprouts. Stirring occasionally, cook the brussels sprouts until they soften and start to turn brown in areas, then add the chicken broth. Let the chicken broth cook down and be absorbed for a minute or two, then turn the heat off.

- Add the cooked orzo to the brussels sprouts and mix well. Add the creme fraiche, asiago cheese, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste, then mix everything thoroughly. Toss the bacon in last, right before serving.

- Enjoy! This recipe made enough for two people, with enough left overs to feed us both again at least once! So ideally this could serve four people as a main course.

The bacon adds a nice crunch to the creaminess of the pasta. Shawn and I call orzo the 'rice' pasta. It's small like rice but with all the conveniences of pasta! I'm sure you could use different pasta here, but why would you want to?! For the love of brussels sprouts and bacon... make this recipe. You will not regret it.

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Chewy Granola Bars

Granola bars are an awesome snack - they're portable, filling, and they kick that mid-day sweets craving right in the mouth! But store-bought granola bars often come with unnecessary added sugars and preservatives; things I really try to avoid. So when my sister made these oh-so-simple and actually-good-for-you granola bars, I just had to follow suit. She didn't use a recipe, so I made it up as I went along and made sure to write down the process so that I would be able to share it here. The only thing you need (aside from the ingredients) is a food processor. I used my mother's ancient Cuisinart one; it still works like a pro even after all these years. If you enjoy things like granola bars, sauces, nut butters, and dressings, food processors are an investment well worth making. I will be undeniably sad to part with this one when I move next week.

Chewy Granola Bars

- 3/4 lbs pitted dates
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (preferably with no added sugar)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Put the dates in your food processor and pulse them until they are completely pulverized and form one big mass. Add the peanut butter and honey and pulse to incorporate. Add the coconut and oats and pulse until one big ball of granola 'dough' forms (see photo below). At this point I transferred the dough to another bowl and worked in the cranberries and chocolate chips using a spatula, but you could also pulse them in with the food processor if you prefer (I wanted to keep the chocolate chips intact). Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and press the dough into it until uniformly flattened. Cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, about 20-30 minutes. Once firm, cut into 8 bars and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator; enjoy at your leisure!

The perfect granola bar consistency!

The beautiful thing about these granola bars is that you can add whatever fruit and nuts you desire. I used cranberries and chocolate chips because that's what I had around, but things like almonds, hazelnuts, and dried cherries would work just as well! Or you could take a tropical spin on it and add dried pineapple, mango, and big coconut flakes. And if you don't like peanut butter, almond or sunflower butter will work just as well! I really love versatile recipes like this.



A naked but delicious granola bar.

This recipe is so easy, you'll find yourself making it at least once a week if you happen to have the ingredients on hand. It's also perfect for summertime because it's no-bake! No one wants to turn the oven on when it's 80+ degrees outside... not even this baker! Let me know what flavor combinations you decide to try!



The finished product, all dressed up.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam

After a long and damp winter, nothing excites me more than seeing spring produce sprout up at the farmer's market. Especially things that aren't usually around for very long, like rhubarb. Now, rhubarb pies and tarts are absolutely wonderful in their own right, but I really wanted to try something different this time around, so last week I made the rhubarb hamantaschen cookies from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook... and I fell completely in love with the rhubarb filling. So this week I went back to farmer's market to get more rhubarb, and some strawberries, to make my own version of the filling which I am calling refrigerator jam, since that's pretty much what it is.

Note: This recipe does not include any measurements, because I didn't use any. You can use as little or as much fruit as you'd like, and as long as you coat it completely with sugar it will turn out well! For reference though, I used three medium-sized rhubarb stalks, about a cup worth of strawberries, and approximately 3/4 cups of sugar. (I'm really guessing with the sugar... I just poured it right on in!)

Strawberry Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam

- rhubarb
- strawberries
- sugar

Trim the ends of the rhubarb and remove the stems of the strawberries, then chop both into half-inch sized chunks and place them in a saucepan large enough that they're not too crowded. Pour sugar over them, just enough to completely coat all the fruit. Cook for fifteen minutes over medium-low heat, covered with a lid; no need to stir. After fifteen minutes, take the lid off and cook for another fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. To tell whether or not they're 'done', you're looking for a thick consistency that coats the back of a spoon; all of the fruit should be soft and integrated by this point as well. Pour the jam into a clean bowl to cool down completely. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat at your leisure! The jam should keep for about three weeks, if you have more self control than I do.

The rhubarb was so fresh that I didn't even peel it; be a rebel, like me.

There's nothing better than farm fresh strawberries! Except maybe chocolate.

Let's get this party started!

Looks like this after fifteen minutes...

Just about done!

Done! But please be patient, no one likes a burned tongue.
Of course this jam is great on toast (what isn't?) but I've been using it to add a little sweetness to my plain ol' greek yogurt in the mornings. I am super tempted to try some on a big bowl of vanilla ice cream... or better yet, in a milkshake! Let me know what your favorite way to enjoy it is!

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