Chocolate Cherry Brownies

In my opinion, there is always room for a good brownie. For this month's Relief Society Sweet Swap, I wanted to try experiment a bit with a variation on the mint brownies from Our Best Bites. I made some with cherry extract in place of vanilla in the brownies and that was a little too strong for me, so I stuck with vanilla there - then I tried using extract for the frosting and had to use quite a lot to get the level of flavor that I wanted, so I switched to flavoring oil in the frosting and glaze. After a couple variations, I think I wound up with a pretty good recipe! Move over cordial cherries!!


Brownies:
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate

1 C butter
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Frosting:
3 C powdered sugar
4 T butter, softened

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cherry flavoring oil (Lorann)
1-2 Tbs milk 
1-2 drops red food coloring, if desired

Chocolate Glaze:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli)
4 Tbs real butter

3-4 drops cherry flavoring oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil making sure the foil extends over the edges by at least one inch.  Lightly spray with non-stick spray and set aside.

Chop both unsweetened chocolate and two sticks of butter into chunks and place together in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. 

With an electric mixer or stand mixer beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla for 2 minutes.  While egg mixture is beating, measure out flour and combine with baking powder.   While mixer is running, slowly add melted chocolate and beat to combine.  Turn beater speed to low and add in flour by spoonfuls.  Mix just until combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a knife poked in center comes out clean.

Cool completely on a metal rack. When brownies have cooled to room temperature, prepare frosting.  Combine all frosting ingredients, starting with 1 1/2 tablespoon of milk, and beat until light and fluffy.  Add more milk by teaspoonful as needed.  Spread frosting evenly over brownies and then place brownies in fridge to chill. 

While brownies are chilling prepare chocolate glaze.  Place chocolate chips and 4 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes and then carefully spread on top of the frosting layer.  Return pan to fridge to cool.  When chocolate has hardened, use edges of foil to remove entire brownie from pan.  Cut into squares and serve.

Strawberry Limeade

A good substitute if you can't make it to Sonic!


3 cups frozen strawberries, slightly thawed
1/3 cup thawed limeade concentrate
3 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice (a little less than 1/2 cup)
2 cups chilled 7-Up

Blend until smooth.

Cranberry Orange Cookies

This recipe comes from one of my favorite food blogs, Your Homebased Mom. A new favorite that I love!


-Your Homebased Mom - Leigh Anne Wilkes


Cookie:

1 C sugar

3/4 C butter, softened

1 egg

2 C flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 C dried cranberries, chopped

1 Tbsp freshly grated orange peel

Sugar Mixture:

1/3 C sugar

1 tsp freshly grated orange peel

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all sugar mixture ingredients in small bowl.  Stir until well mixed.  Set aside

For cookies:  Combine 1 cup sugar, butter and egg in a bowl.  Beat until creamy.  Reduce speed and add flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Beat until well mixed.  Add remaining ingredients.  Beat until combined.

Shape cookies into one inch balls and roll in sugar mixture.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten with bottom of glass to 1 1/2 inch circles

Bake for 7 - 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Do not over bake.  Cool 1 minute and remove from cookie sheet.

Salted Nut Roll

This recipe comes from my sister-in-law Ashley, and it's so yummy! It reminds me of a Payday candy bar. 


-Ashley Hansen from her friend Cinda


16 oz. dry Roasted peanuts (salted)

3 Tbs. butter or margarine

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 c. miniature marshmallows

12 oz. Reese’s Peanut butter chips (I used 1½ bags)

Butter 9 x 13 inch pan (or line with parchment paper). Pour ½ peanuts in pan. Mix butter and peanut butter chips in sauce pan over low heat. Heat until melted, add milk, and mix well. Remove from stove, add marshmallows. (Stir until about half of the marshmallows have completely melted).  Pour over peanuts, and then top with remaining peanuts. Press in and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into squares and serve.

Candy Corn Cookies

I forgot about these until I downloaded the pictures from my camera. I tried two different methods for making candy corn cookies - layering the dough and then cutting slices and then triangles - and this method (which I prefer). Just make sure you put the colors in the right order.... oops :)


-Sugar and Spice and Everything Iced

Divide your favorite sugar cookie dough and color - you'll want the majority of the dough yellow (not orange like above! :), then orange and then just a bit for the white.

Roll out your yellow dough and use bowls or large cookie cutters to cut your outside ring, and remove the center circle. Then roll and cut a ring of orange, remove that center circle and place inside the yellow ring. Then roll and cut a circle of white to fit in the middle. Gently press the edges together and score your cookies with a bench scraper or pizza cutter (be careful if you're using a Silpat).

I left mine together as a big circle, so it took quite a bit longer than my normal sugar cookies to bake. Once they come out of the oven, cut through the lines again and let the cookies cool completely before separating.

Lemon Buddies

I saw these on Pinterest and had to try them- yummy!! I'm not sure the butter is necessary - next time I'm going to try it without.

-Chex

9          cups Rice Chex® cereal

1 1/4  cups white vanilla baking chips

1/4     cup butter or margarine

4          teaspoons grated lemon peel (I didn't use this much)

2          tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2          cups powdered sugar

Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.

In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chips, butter, lemon peel and juice uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.

Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; gently shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.

Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

I was assigned to bring a main dish to our Halloween recipe exchange in October - I decided mummy dogs wouldn't be appropriate for such a nice girl's night out.... lol

So I did some research and found this recipe. I must say it was pretty delicious - it might fool your taste buds into thinking it's a curry!

P.S. Even the pumpkin hater in our family thought it was good! :)

-Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4 to 6 sprigs sage leaves, cut into chiffonade, about 2 tablespoons
1 cup dry white wine (or chicken stock)
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread, as an accompaniment

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine (or chicken stock) by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Return sausage to pan, reduce heat, and stir in cream. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.