Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Brownies

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Brownies

It's hard to go wrong with brownies when you're craving something warm, gooey, chewy and totally chocolatey!  Then again, I'm rather picky about my brownies.  Naturally, they have to meet the aforementioned requirements, and this recipe is a triple threat in my book!  Look at the moist layers of brownie cradling a creamy cheesecake baby in the middle :)

I'm a huge fan of a cream cheese (cheesecake) layer in the middle to match the chocolate in richness, yet round out the darkness of the semi-sweet chips.  Ice cream is equally delicious, but poses some problems if you're wanting to pack these in a lunch, take them on a picnic, or continually snitch one every time you walk past the pan ;)  And an ice cold glass of milk is a must!  Enjoy!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy baking!

Brownie Battter

3/4 cup sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips, divided

2 eggs

In a small bowl, combine flour, soda and salt.  Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt butter, sugar and water together until sugar granules are dissolved.  Remove from heat and add 1 cup of chocolate chips and vanilla.  Add in eggs and mix well.  Pour in the flour mixture and stir in remaining chocolate chips.

Cheesecake Layer

8 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixer, combine all ingredients until smooth.

Grease a 9x9" glass baking pan.  Pour in 2/3 of the brownie batter.  Drop the cream cheese batter by spoonfuls on top, then pour in the remaining brownie batter.  With a knife, GENTLY make an "S" shape through all three layers of batter.  Resist the urge to stir too much! :)

Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Photograph © Hearty Appletite

Tropical Summer Cake

Tropical Summer Cake

For this month's Improv Challenge, hosted by Kristen at Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, the two required ingredients are strawberries and cream.  Since I had just made this cake, I decided to hold off posting it until now because it met both requirements: strawberries and (butter)cream!   

The inspiration for this cake came from a layered lemonade cake that graced the front of my Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  I was excited to make it until I realized that the multi-colored layers were a product of red food dye, so I opted to make this cake using the natural color of strawberries and pineapple found in 100% fruit juice.

I made one 9" strawberry guava cake and one 9" pineapple starfruit cake, sliced them in half, and layered marshmallow buttercream in between and over the top!  Our backyard provided the lovely purple flower garnish, and we ate our Tropical Summer Cake on the deck of our Pacific Northwest home!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy baking!

Tropical Summer Cake, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens May 2012 issue

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup frozen juice concentrate* (I used strawberry guava and pineapple starfruit)

Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, grease two 9x2-inch round cake pans.  Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease paper.  Flour pans, tapping to remove excess; set aside.  In medium bowl stir together flour, caking powder and salt; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In an extra-large mixing bowl beat butter with mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds.  Gradually add sugar, a little bit at a time, beating on medium until well combined.  Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes more.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a bowl stir together milk and juice concentrate.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined.  Spread the batter in pan.

Bake about 35 minutes, until top springs back when lightly touched, or toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Trim off domed top and cut horizontally in half.  Brush crumbs from layer.

Repeat recipe using a different flavor juice for the second cake.

*Next time I make this, I'm going to use strawberry purée for a deeper color and a more intense berry flavor.

Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

3 cups unsalted butter, softened

2 16-ounce jars marshmallow creme

1 cup powdered sugar

In a very large mixing bowl, beat softened butter with mixer on medium for 30 seconds, until light and fluffy.  Add marshmallow creme and beat until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  

To assemble cake:  Place one layer, cut side down, on a plate.  Spread 1 cup of frosting just to edges.  Top with next layer, and repeat this process until all the layers and stacked.  Spread remaining frosting over the top and sides.  Garnish with strawberries, starfruit, or flowers...your choice! :)

Photograph © Hearty Appletite

Buttery Lemon Squares

Buttery Lemon Squares

One of the most exciting parts about summer arriving in the Pacific Northwest is that berry season is just around the corner.  While we don't have lemon trees, we do have lemony golden sunshine and an array of deliciously bright berries and fruit to garnish all sorts of desserts, including Lemon Squares!  

These buttery and creamy lemon squares only require a handful of ingredients and are fast and easy to throw together.  The tangy lemony pudding pours right over the shortbread cookie crust (you know me...shortbread belongs in pretty much every dessert!) for a cookie that packs along well for a picnic, or dresses up beautifully for an afternoon tea party!

Enjoy!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy baking!

Buttery Lemon Squares

Shortbread Pastry Base:

3 ounces (3/4 stick) butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine all ingredients in a mixer until they begin to hold together.  Press into a greased 9x9" glass pan.  Bake for about 18 minutes, until the crust is light golden brown.

Lemon Layer:

Finely grated rind of 2 medium-size lemons

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

While the crust is baking, beat the eggs in a small bowl with an electric mixer.  Add the sugar and baking powder and beat for 1 minute.  Stir in rind and juice.  Right before the crust is done, make sure to blend all your ingredients one more time since they will have separated.  Pour the lemon mixture over the hot pastry crust.  Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the top is lightly colored.

Cool completely and cut into bars.  Dust with powdered sugar.

Photograph © Hearty Appletite

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwich with Caramelized Apple Filling

Several years ago, I went to York, England, with my mom and kids, and we found this little shop that sold pulled pork sandwiches with some type of apple chutney.  They were so delicious!  We ate them on a park bench, and despite how cold we were, and how numb our fingertips became while holding these hot babies in our un-mittened hands, the trip was worth every bite!  Since I can't go back to York every day for lunch, I can bring a bit of York here.  

I prepped everything, including slicing my apples and onions, in the morning for a quick dinner in the evening.

As odd as this sounds, I followed a recipe that said to season the pork and pour a can of root beer over the top.  I did this, but for my own tastes, I should have followed some of the commenters and used regular beer or chicken stock.  For sweet tooths, this might be just perfect!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy cooking!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin

12 ounces broth: chicken, beer, root beer

1 cup barbecue sauce

salt, pepper and garlic powder

Season the tenderloin and place it in a slow cooker.  Pour in the broth of your choice, and cook on low until pork shreds easily ~ 6-7 hours.  Drain.  Shred pork and pour in barbecue sauce.

Caramelized Apples and Onions

6 apples, quartered, cored and sliced thinly

1 sweet onion, sliced in 1/2" rings and quartered

salt, to taste

In skillet, drizzle with olive oil and add apples and onions.  Sprinkle with salt and sauté over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and golden brown.

Photograph © Hearty Appletite

Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

Here's what I've done the past two nights with the Restaurant Style Teriyaki Sauce I made yesterday.  It's better than take-out and only 1/4 the cost, even using organic chicken!  I cut up the chicken (thighs and breasts) into 1" pieces, thread them on soaked bamboo skewers, and grill at 400F for about 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.  I served on a bed of plain rice, with steamed broccoli.  Nutritious and delicious!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy cooking!

Photograph © Hearty Appletite

Restaurant Style Teriyaki Sauce

I don't know why I never thought to make this before!  It just didn't occur to me that I could bring the magic of the $6 teriyaki bowl to my house :)

This recipe is from food.com and is easy and delicious, and only takes about 5 minutes to make.  It's slightly thickened, great for egg rolls and gyozas as a dipping sauce, or to pour over rice and chicken.  Enjoy!

From one hearty appletite to another...happy cooking!

Restaurant Style Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

5 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons corn starch

Mix all ingredients together except for cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in a 1-quart pot.  Begin to heat.  In separate dish, combine corn starch and water.  Add to the pot.  Bring to a gentle boil and slightly thickened, and remove from heat.  Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.

Photograph © Hearty Appletite

Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie ala mode!

Blueberry pie is fitting for any season in my book.  Serve it hot and it's perfect for a rainy, chilly night, but it's the ultimate dessert choice when you come home with gallons of plump, sun-kissed, warm blueberries at the peak of the summer berry season.  There's no time when it isn't pie season!

No one makes a crust like my mom, Judy Olson, but I had to go it alone on this one since she wasn't home to come bake with me.  

You'll want to roll your crust out for about 3/16" thick.  This isn't math though, so whatever looks perfect to you will work.  I don't like a super thick crust, but too thin and it will fall apart!

I used frozen blueberries--oh, sweet summer memories--and tossed them with sugar and flour.  Let them stand at room temperature about 30 minutes.  That way they're softened, but not thawed.

Here's an opportunity to learn from my mistake :)  I had to roll out my crust before I was ready to bake it.  I rolled it up and put it in the fridge, due to space limitations, but I didn't allow it to thaw completely before flattening it out.  The result?  Cracks in the crust.  Well, it still tasted good!

I put my pie bird in the middle to avoid bubbling over, and it's just so cute!

I served it up ala mode, and enjoyed every bite! :)

From one hearty appletite to another...happy baking!

Mom's Butter Pie Crust

2 1/4 cups flour, spooned method

3/4 cup cold butter

3/4 teaspoon salt

~1/2 cup cold water, just enough water for form a ball of dough

Cut cold butter into flour and salt, until it resembles small pea-sized balls.  I like to use my fingers because it slightly warms the butter.  Add the water by sprinkling in slowly, stirring between each sprinkle.  Once the dough is hanging together, divide into two balls.  Roll out a bottom crust and lay in a 9" glass pie pan.  Fill with berry mixture.  Roll second crust and lay on top.  Moisten the seam with water, trim the edges and crimp together.

Blueberry Filling

5 cups blueberries

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

Mix together flour and sugar (and cinnamon) and toss with blueberries.  Pour into pie shell. Cover with top crust.  Pierce with a fork multiple times, to allow steam to escape, and sprinkle with sugar.  Bake at 425 F for 35-45 minutes, or until crust is light golden brown.

Photograph © Hearty Appletite