Slutty Brownies

If you read many other food blogs you'll know that I am behind the times with these brownies.  I first saw them here and was intrigued.  I don't often get very excited over dessert as I would normally rather just have an extra helping of mashed potatoes, but something about the idea of slutty brownies had me talking about them constantly for a week. They are a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough, a layer of whole Oreo cookies, and a layer of brownie batter.  I don't really have a recipe for these, but I made a batch of Nestle's Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie dough, and then used one box of Ghirardelli brownie mix.  For a 9x13 inch pan, I really should have used two boxes of brownie mix, but these are so rich, I thought one box actually worked better.  For a dark metal pan, bake at 375 for about 35 minutes.  If you bake this in a glass pan they take about 50 minutes.  Check for doneness often because you want to err on the side of underdone and gooey than overbaked and dry.  These really are amazing brownies, and they would be great for a carry-in or to share as they are really rich.

Fruit Crisp

 Don't get me wrong, I do love pies, and all those of you out there who think pie crust is scary, it just takes patience.  When I'm feeding a large group, or when I have a ton of fruit to use up, I make a crisp instead.  Crisps are super simple.  If you can chop, measure, and pour, you can make a crisp.  The crisp I made last week was rhubarb, but I've also used the same recipe with peaches and blackberries.  Other than melons or pineapple, I really can't think of any fruit that wouldn't work using this method.  These are especially good for picnics and it can be served warm or at room temperature.  This recipe makes a 9 x 13 in. pan, but feel free to make half in an 8 x 8 in. pan.

Fruit Crisp


Filling:
At least 4 cups of bite sized fruit (berries are really easy because you don't have to chop them)
1-2 cups of granulated sugar
Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
4 Tablespoons white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup melted butter

 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. and filling 9 x 13 in. pan with chopped fruit.  Top chopped fruit with sugar.  I know 1-2 cups is a huge difference, but it just depends on how sweet your fruit is.  For rhubarb and blackberries I use the 2 cups.  For peaches I only use 1 cup of sugar, so you'll need to judge this on your own.

2. Mix all ingredients for the crumble and sprinkle over fruit.

3. Bake for 45 minutes.  At this point, the fruit will be cooked through and start bubbling through the crispy top.  With really juicy fruit like berries, I usually put a cookie sheet under the baking dish in case it bubbles over.

4. That's all there is to it.  Enjoy your crisp!

Hot crisp, ready to eat.  I wish I had more.  My husband and I ate the entire pan in three days.

Is the food ready yet?

Glazed Peach Pie: Because Even When Tragedy Strikes You Must Eat

I had a rough week.  I mean a really rough week.  Our kitten passed away very unexpectedly Saturday morning.  This was after a week of working outside in extreme temperatures, so I was worn out both physically and emotionally.  Still, I knew we needed nourishment, and my parents were coming to visit.  I still had part of the 1/2 bushel of peaches I had bought from the farm market, and knew I wanted peach pie.  I used the recipe here substituting peaches for strawberries, and using real butter.  I really like the shortbread crust and the fact the most of the peaches remain uncooked.  A little tip: place cut peaches in a little water with lemon.  It helps keep them from turning brown in the pie.  Also, I don't peel my peaches, but I know for some people this would be a problem.  On top of the pie is whipped cream.  I took a cup of heavy cream and whipped it at high speed in the stand mixer and added in powered sugar to taste.  This only took a few minutes and tastes much better than the packaged stuff.  If you're not whipping your own cream, you should.

I also made Philly Cheese steaks that night, but I forgot to take a picture.  I will make the sandwiches again and post my recipe.  Even though this wonderful meal did not take away the pain of our loss, it was something I could throw myself into and give those around me at least a little comfort.