Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bites and Cook Book Review - Dessert Mashups

Do you have an intense sweet tooth? Or perhaps you're looking for a Christmas gift for someone who has one? Then you should buy a copy of Dessert Mash-ups by Dorothy Kern who blogs at Crazy for Crust. It puts together wonderful two in one combos or mashups of sweet treats!

When my daughter saw the book on our dining room table, her eyes almost jumped out of her head and she immediately picked it up and started earmarking the recipes she thought we should try (pretty much all of them!).

There are 52 recipes to try in the book. Recipes include mashups like lemon bar cheesecake, white chocolate coconut pie fudge and pecan pie cinnamon rolls! Many of these recipes would be great for the upcoming Holiday season, cookie swaps and school events.

Tonight we tried the peanut butter brownie bites. Mmmm - chocolate, peanut butter, brownie all in one mashup! It was a hit. Decadent, rich, worth every minute in the gym you'll need to work it off because you won't be able to stop at one! The peanut butter mixture was my favorite - sweet but not overly so and the brownies were fudgier than a Judy Blume book.

I was given permission by Ulysses Press to share this recipe with you. If you don't have the patience to dip the bites in the chocolate, just drizzle some on top. I had to use an 8 x 8 pan so the brownies were thicker and cooking time was 23 minutes. Note: My 10 year old did most of this by herself so it's a great recipe to make with the kids.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bites

Yield 32 bites

Prep Time 1 hour

Bake Time 18 to 25 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour, plus cooling time

If I had to choose only one flavor combination to eat for the rest of my life, it would be peanut butter and chocolate. These bites are what happens when a peanut butter cup and a brownie get married and have babies: A layer of brownie is topped with a soft peanut butter mixture and then the whole thing takes a bath in chocolate. These are too easy to eat, so be sure to wrap some in a pretty box and give them to your neighbors . . . if you have the strength to share them!

Brownies

1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

2⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon brewed coffee (or water)

1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour

Peanut Butter Mixture

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1⁄3 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup powdered sugar


1 teaspoon vanilla extract

16 to 24 ounces melting chocolate or semisweet baking chocolate

Sprinkles (optional)

Make the Brownies


1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray or line with foil and spray with cooking spray for easy cleanup.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, and cocoa. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, coffee (the coffee just adds a richness to the brownies, but you can use water if you prefer), and salt. Carefully stir in the flour. Spread in the prepared pan.

3. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge of the pan comes out with only crumbs sticking to it. Let cool completely in pan before continuing. You can chill them to speed up this process.

Make the Peanut Butter Mixture


1. Combine the peanut butter, brown sugar, and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) until crumbly. Add the vanilla, then continue to mix until the mixture is smooth and almost comes together. Press it together with your hands to form a smooth ball.

2. Place the peanut butter ball on a sheet of waxed paper. Press or roll it into a square that’s about the size of your brownie pan. Place the peanut butter square on top of the brownies and press to adhere it. Press and adjust the edges so that it completely covers the brownies in the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. When you’re ready to dip the brownies, melt half of the candy according to the package directions and line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Remove the brownies from the pan and carefully discard the foil. Set the brownies on a cutting board and cut the square in half. Place one half back in the refrigerator until finished with the first half.

4. Cut the half sheet of brownies into 32 squares (4 rows by 8 columns). Dip each square carefully into the chocolate (see Candy Dipping Tips, page 30), tap off any excess, and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining brownies, melting additional chocolate as needed.

5. Refrigerate until set. If desired, place any remaining chocolate in a plastic baggie or small squirt bottle and drizzle chocolate on top of the truffles. You can also cover them with sprinkles or leave them plain. These can be kept at room temperature or in the refrigerator in an airtight container, or can be frozen. The truffles will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Tip: Use white candy coating for a fun new twist!

PS this is how it looks in the book...even more yummy!

Photo from Dessert MashUps (used with permission from publisher).

Cookbook Review - Anupy Singla's Indian for Everyone

We loved this North Indian Chicken  Curry!
As you can see we added brown rice, broccoli and salad of onion, tomato and cucumber.

Indian for Everyone!

Do you love going out for Indian food? Would you love to make it at home but are intimidated by the thought of it? Then you should purchase a copy of Anupy Singla's new cookbook out called Indian for Everyone: The Homecook's Guide to Traditional Favorites. 

It's aimed at people just like you, who love cooking, love Indian food and flavors but are not sure where to start when it comes to making it at home. Like her previous books, it is full of easy to follow recipes but even more importantly pages are filled with easy to read information about Indian spices, friendly descriptions of her own experiences and her family's thoughts about her dishes.

If you live in a big city or have a large Indian community, like Vancouver, you will have no problem finding all of the spices you need for these recipes but I think readers in smaller cities and towns may have a harder time finding them. The search is worth it though. I will soon be making my own big batches of garam masala and other spices blends Anupy shares with us in her book.

Want to meet Anupy?

If you are lucky enough to live in or near Vancouver on November 16th you can meet Anupy as she discusses her new book and demonstrates one of her new recipes from Indian for Everyone at Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks. You will even receive an autographed copy of the book (which would make a fantastic Christmas present!).

Trying the Recipes

The kids and I spent a fun morning shopping for the ingredients we needed to make North Indian Chicken Curry - a thick and earthy yogurt based curry dish. The kids loved learning about the spices, smelling them and creating this dish with me. It was also easy - make the marinade, throw in the chicken the night before and the rest comes together in little time or fuss at dinner time..

I have to say that I've tried three recipes so far and all are quite spicy (and I love spicy)! We now cut out any serrano peppers that are listed and often cut the powdered chilis to just a 1/2 tsp or less....this way the kids will enjoy these great recipes and your guests won't be sweating by the end of the meal!

North Indian Chicken Curry

Tools: You’ll need a food processor; a large and a small mixing bowl; a whisk; a fork; a heavy-bottomed, 6-quart / 6-L sauté pan with a lid; tongs; and a large plate.

Yield: 8–10 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow or red onion, roughly chopped

1 (4-inch / 10-cm) piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

10 cloves garlic, peeled

2 cups / 470 mL plain, unsweetened yogurt (whole, lowfat, or nonfat)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon plus

1 pinch salt, divided

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon Garam Masala

1 tablespoon red chile powder or cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons roasted cumin, ground

1/3 cup / 10 g kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), lightly hand crushed to release flavor

4 pounds / 1.81 g skinless whole bone-in chicken, cut into 8–10 pieces (including cutting each breast in ½), or 2 pounds / 910 g boneless chicken

6 tablespoons / 90 mL ghee or vegetable oil, divided

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 (3-inch / 8-cm) sticks cinnamon

5 whole cloves

5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

2 black cardamom pods

1 large yellow or red onion, thinly sliced

3 large tomatoes, diced

2–4 fresh Thai, serrano, or cayenne chiles, stems removed and thinly sliced

2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Brown or white basmati rice, Roti, or Naan for serving

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, grind the chopped onion, the ginger, and the garlic into a smooth paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the yogurt, the 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the salt, the turmeric, the Garam Masala, the red chile powder, the coriander, the cumin, and the kasoori methi. Whisk until well blended. Kasoori methi can be found in Indian grocery stores. Omit if you cannot find it. Do not use fresh leaves or fenugreek seeds, as they will alter the taste.
2. Prepare the chicken by poking holes in it with a fork to help it absorb the yogurt marinade. Carefully add the pieces of chicken to the large mixing bowl and gently stir until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.
3. In a heavy-bottomed, 6-quart / 6-L sauté pan over medium–high heat, warm 3 tablespoons / 45 mL of the ghee. Using tongs, carefully transfer the pieces of chicken to the sauté pan, reserving the marinade for later use. Cook, turning once to ensure even cooking, for a total of 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, and transfer the remaining liquid in the pan to a small mixing bowl for later use.
4. Return the sauté pan to medium–high heat and warm the remaining 3 tablespoons / 45 mL of ghee. Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and green and black cardamom and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sliced onion and the remaining pinch of salt and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the pan to prevent burning, for 3 minutes, until the onion is slightly browned.
5. Add the tomatoes to the sauté pan and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally (breaking down the tomatoes with the back of the spoon), for 11 minutes, until they are fairly smooth. Add the reserved marinade and cooking liquid from Step 3 and the fresh chiles to the sauté pan and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to medium–low and slowly, carefully return the chicken to the sauté pan. Partially cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking, for 35 to 40 minutes (20 minutes if using boneless chicken), until the chicken is cooked through. Be sure not to overcook the chicken. Remove from the heat.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with the brown or white basmati rice, Roti, or Naan.

Reprinted with permission from Indian for Everyone by Anupy Singla, Agate Surrey, October 2014.

Please note: I received a review copy of this book but opinions, as always, are my own.

Cookbook Review: Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Foods by K Pullman and J Fertig

Buffalo-style Hot Wings

We, like so many Canadians and Americans, are caught up in the smoked meat craze. And really how could we not?  There are BBQ restaurants, food trucks, TV shows and smoked meat competitions all within a sauce dripping arm's length of us all. And  the meat can't be beat! The taste of a piece of bark on a pork butt or brisket is heaven on earth.

So when I bought my husband a Weber Bullet Smoker I  pretty much took the crown of  Best. Wife. Ever. 

We've smoked pork, beef, chicken and turkey so far with amazing results and jealous stares from our neighbours. So when I was offered the chance to review Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Foods by Karen Putman and Judith Fertig I jumped on it.

This is the 2nd edition of the 400 page cookbook/how-to-smoke anything resource. 

Karen Putman was a chef and well respected, award winning BBQ competitor who passed away in 2011 but certainly leaves an amazing legacy to anyone who has an interest in the BBQ world.

The 2nd edition has added more tips and secrets from Karen's friends. 

The book itself is 400 pages and those pages are filled with useful tips, tidbits and information that even seasoned slow cooking meat veterans will enjoy. There are tips on different types of equipment, how to's about getting started, what you need to know if you are thinking about entering a competition,  how to create your own signature rubs and sauces, and of course great tips on each type of meat you want to smoke plus loads of recipes. It's a lot of information but is presented in an easy to read and easy to use format. There are also great step-by-step photos on how to prepare charcoal, meats etc. And of course there are mouth watering photos of many of the recipes too.

The recipes cover the gamut from rubs and sauces to sections on each meat - pork, beef, poultry,and  lamb. There are also cold smoking recipes and recipes that are truly different like tofu and almonds and even "smoky deviled eggs"!

I like this book. In fact I love it. Lots of great info and recipes that I've already ear marked to try over the coming months. Unfortunately, the recipe I tried while reviewing the book fell short. I'm hoping it was the one dud in the otherwise great read.

We decided to try the "Buffalo-Style Hot Wings" recipe. It was super simple with only 4 ingredients. It was easy to slap the marinade together and throw on the wings but the execution didn't work. The recipe says to place them in a single layer in an aluminum pan and then smoke them in the pan. Well that led to a lot of grease from the chicken and marinade. There was so much that the underside of the wings didn't hold the marinade, formed a wet, unappetizing skin and definitely weren't "hot" as promised. We ended up throwing the wings on the BBQ grill after smoking to crisp them up a bit. 

Too much grease was captured in the pans.

The undersides of the wings didn't look appetizing.

The taste of the meat, however, was phenomenal, smoked poultry is simply something everyone must try (well, except vegetarians). My husband thinks it would have been much better if we hand poked holes in the bottom of the pan so the grease could drip out or just put the wings directly on the smoker grill. Despite the disappointing result we will not be throwing this cookbook in the trash. We will be trying more of the recipes and the rubs/sauces. I know there are many other great recipes that can be smoked out. 

So we grilled them to crisp them up.

A little extra sauce and they were good to go!

If you or someone you know is smoking enthusiast I recommend this book. It has something for everyone and every skill level.

Book Infomation:Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food 
2nd Edition
Karen Putman and Judith Ferig
Published by Robert Rose Inc
isbn: 978-0-7788-0449-9

Cookbook Review: Vegan Indian Cooking by Anupy Singla

I like meat and dairy. Life without beef tenderloin, baby back ribs, ice cream or butter is just unimaginable... for me. But that doesn't mean I can't see the benefit of moderation and mixing my family's menu up with healthy vegetarian and vegan dishes. So when I was given the opportunity to review and try a few of the recipes from Anupy Singla's new book, Vegan Indian Cooking, I without hesitation said yes.

Ms Singla does a great job at explaining her vegan journey and her belief in everyone making their own choices. I especially like her description of all the spices and other ingredients used in Indian cooking and in her home. The book is well written and easy to read.

140 recipes are offered - everything from spice blends to drinks to breakfast to small plates, stews, rice dishes and veggies. Lots of variety that is sure to appeal to many including those of us who aren't Indian or Vegan afficienados!

Lots of great pictures accompany the recipes which are easy to follow and I like that different options and substitutions are offered for many ingredients just in case they are not available in your area.

I decided to try two recipes: Chickpea Poppers and Baked Samosas. They both turned out amazing. Even my six year old loved the poppers and ate them for school snacks most of the week. I found when I wanted the satisfaction of a chip but not the empty calories these really did make a pretty good substitute!

And the samosas were soooo delicious! Potatoes, peas and spices wrapped up and BAKED in golden crust  - a new comfort food for sure! The only comment I have is that is says it makes 12 medium samosas but I honestly would classify them as small, appetizer size. Although it doesn't say in the book, I asked Anupy via Facebook if they could be frozen and she said "yes" - unbaked - so I will definitely be making and freezing a few batches to have on hand for nights when we just can't decide what to have for dinner and drop in guests.

With permission, I have included the popper recipe but I think you should buy the book for the samosa recipe!

Chickpeas coated with spices just before going into the oven.

After they come out - crunchy and spicy!

Chickpea Poppers

from Vegan Indian Cooking: 140 Simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes by Anupy Singla

published by Agate Surrey, July 2012

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients

4 c cooked chickpeas or 2 (12-ounce/341 gram) cans chickpeas

1 tbsp garam masala

2 tsp coarse sea salt

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp cayenne pepper or paprika, plus more for sprinkling

What to do

1. Set an oven rack at the highest position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up.

2. Drain the chickpeas in a large colander for about 15 minutes to get rid of as much moisture as possible. If using canned, rinse first.

3. In a large bowl, gently mix together all the ingredients.

4. Arrange the seasoned chickpeas in a single layer on the baking sheet.

5. Cook for 15 minutes. Carefully take the tray out of the oven, mix gently so that the chickpeas cook evenly, and cook another 10 minutes.

6. Let cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the cayenne pepper or paprika.

PS: Anupy is currently on a book tour and will be stopping in Vancouver, BC at Barbara Jo's Books-to-Cook store on October 13th 2012. Click here for more info!

Cookbook Review - Whitewater Cooks with Friends by Shelley Adams

I love cookbooks! I've lost count on just how many I own. My favorite ones are dogged-eared, written in (I like to add in my own little changes, when I made the recipe, for who etc), and stained with various ingredients (a cookbook protector is on my wish list). But what does it take to earn favorite status? Well, obviously the recipe has to peak my interest, be easy to follow, not too time consuming (with 2 young kids interruptions are guaranteed), and I prefer cookbooks with mouthwatering photos to MAKE me want to recreate the dish. The other thing that I love are cookbooks with little stories or why the recipes are important to the author.

Shelley Adams is a Canadian cookbook author and former owner of a successful cafe in Nelson, B.C. known as the Fresh Tracks Café at the Whitewater Ski Resort. She has written three "Whitewater Cooks" cook books. The third book in this wildly successful series is titled Whitewater Cooks With Friends and features recipes to share with friends and family. It's first run sold out and a new production run has just been released.

To be honest, I somehow missed the first two books, but am beyond happy that the latest book was brought to my attention! The first thing that caught my attention was the opening sentence - "Food is all about sharing." I am in complete agreement! There are few things more fun than sharing good food with good friends! But in order to do this, I need easy recipes like these that allow me to cook, talk and hold a glass of wine at the same time.

The second thing that drew me to this book is the photography. David Gluns took the photos for Shelley's book and knows how to work a camera. Every image brings the food to delicious, mouth-watering life.

The cookbook itself is a compilation of recipes from Shelley and her friends which I find really appealing - recipes that have been shared amongst friends and family are usually the best ones since they have been tried and tested again and again. I think the book offers a small town feel with a big world appeal. The recipes look and taste quite sophisticated but are explained in simple terms and offer easy to follow instructions.

I also like the little tips and notes provided with each recipe - where to find ingredients, food prep tips etc they add to the fun and relaxing feel of the book.

I have a list of recipes I will be trying including:

• pacific sashimi towers
• paella chowder
• tuscan bread salad
• asian spiced braised short ribs

My sweet tooth dictated that the first recipes to try were two desserts: "fabulous molasses and 3 ginger cookies" and" lisa p's orange sour cream bundt cake".

The cookies were the best tasting ginger cookies I've ever had (this was seconded by my husband!). The dried, fresh, and candied ginger provided a sensory explosion of taste and smell. The recipe was easy to follow and almost healthy thanks to the addition of oats (yes, oats). The only negative thing I could say about it is mine came out much flatter than the ones shown in the book and they were crispier than expected so dipping in tea or milk is almost mandatory. I will be making them again.

The bundt cake was also a winner. So moist and delicious. And the glaze produces something akin to a sugary crust that makes that gives this bundt cake another layer of flavour. My five-year old son asked me to make 10 more and he isn't normally a big cake-eater! It's a recipe your friends will be asking you to share. It's one of the few recipes without a picture but as you can see from mine, it's truly yummy. I asked if I could reproduce the recipe and was kindly given the go ahead. 

This week I have a prosciutto wrapped pork loin and a spinach gomae recipe from the book on my list for dinner. I'll let you know how they turn out too.

I definitely recommend adding this book to your cookbook collection...in fact I will be picking up the first two in the series soon too! Check out Whitewater's website here.

lisa p's orange sour cream bundt cake
from Whitewater Cooks with Friends by Shelley Adams

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 orange, zest of
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

glaze
2 oranges, juice of
3/4 cup sugar
1 lemon, zest of

Method
Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add sour cream and orange zest and combine.
Sift together four, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add dry ingredients to the creamed butter and beat until well mixed.
Spoon into well-greased bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Combine orange juice, sugar and lemon zest in small saucepan.
Heat to a low boil, allow liquid to reduce by one third, about 10 minutes and keep warm.
Remove cake from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Invert cake onto serving plate.
Poke lots of holes into cake with a skewer and pour glaze over cake while both are still warm.

My notes: I added a white pre-made cookie icing as an extra drizzle for the photo but absolutely not necessary.

Also, in the interests of full disclosure please note that I received a copy of this book to review but I was not financially compensated in any way. The opinions expressed are my own.

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