The Barefoot Contessa's Decadent Brownie Pie

Why does chocolate have to be so, SO, good!!??

My husband is the master of all brownies.  His dessert speciality has always been an over-the-top, indulgent, chocolate upon chocolate, kind of brownie!  In high school he would bring to any party or movie night "his brownies". They usually started with Ghiradelli brownie mix, and he would add chocolate syrup and chocolate chips to the batter!! (So moist and gooey.). If that wasn't enough richness already, he would make a homemade fudge icing recipe that he poured over the top!  The icing set up like fudge, and his decadent brownies would be ready to be devoured!

Then, if we wanted to really throw all care to the wind ( I mean why stop there?) we would top it with ice cream for a brownie sundae.

Those were some of the best brownies ever!!!

Note, this was in high school before we knew about any reasonable portion control, haha!  Not that I don't indulge now because I do (probably too much at times), but now I try to temper my dessert nights with healthier choices throughout my day.  

one thing hasn't changed over the years...  my Love still makes some amazing brownies!!

Last week, I was feeling pretty sick with a cold, and he decided to make supper and dessert!!  Yes!  This man who works hard all day at work came home to help me out with supper.  

I am eternally grateful!!!

He found the recipe to Ina Garten's --The Barefoot Contessa-- brownie tart or pie, and he whipped it together.  This brownie is b-e-a-utiful!  It looks like it came from a bakery.  

And it tasted amazing!!!

Gooey and rich.  Speckled with walnuts for crunch.  Glossed with melted chocolate.  Chocolate perfection for a decadent treat!  A small slice is all that's needed, since it's so rich.  It doesn't have cocoa powder, instead chocolate chips, and there is little flour.  All of that makes it extra gooey, almost creamy in the center.  

So with Valentines Day coming up, I thought I would share with you our delicious discovery if perhaps you're looking for that chocolate dessert that would be right to end your Valentines Day with!  I'm sure your loved ones would appreciate the time you took to make something like this!  

I know that we certainly did!!! :)

The Barefoot Contessa's Brownie Pie

Serves 8-10

6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

3 1/4 c. (20 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

3 extra large eggs

1 c. Sugar

1 Tbsp. Instant coffee granules

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 c. All-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt, kosher salt if you have it

1 c. Walnuts, chopped

2-3 Tbsp. Heavy cream

Grease and flour a 9 inch tart pan with removable sides.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt butter in a bowl over simmering water.  (A double boiler)  Add 2 cups of chocolate chips, remove from heat, and stir with a whisk briskly until the chocolate is melted and glossy.  Set aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, use a paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, coffee, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the cooled melted chocolate.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, 1 cup of chocolate chips, and walnuts.  Fold in the mixture until just combined.  Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the center is puffed (the top may crack).  The inside will still be very soft.  Cool a little bit before eating if you want it soft and gooey, and cool it all the way if you want a prettier slice.  It needs to be mostly cooled before removing tart pan sides.

Melt the remaining 1/4 c. Chocolate chips with cream and drizzle the ganache over the tart.  Beautiful!

Ready to devour!

* Note:  Please be sure to add the coffee granules.  It adds richness and make the chocolate more chocolate-y tasting!!  Honest;)

I Need .....

He is the answer to all our needs, and the only One that will fulfill us truly.  Have a blessed day in Lord, my sweet friends! 

Quick Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Happy Sunday!  I hope you're all having a blessed morning and a wonderful time at church or home with your family today.  I can't wait to worship with my whole family since Mr. Cozy is off today!

My peanut butter kiss cookies hit the spot for a quick and delicious treat, that would be just right for a snowy Sunday afternoon or to nibble watching Downton!  These cookies are ones I grew up on, but I slightly enhanced the awesome "3 ingredient peanut butter cookie" that Mom and I usually make.

The original "3 ingredient cookie" calls for 1 c. Sugar, 1 c. Peanut butter, and 1 Egg.  So simple!  In these I added brown sugar to keep them soft, a splash of vanilla, and a little flour, which we usually throw into the 3 ingredient cookie anyways for a smoother texture.

These peanut butter kiss cookies are chewy, rich, and taste like a million bucks!  They're one of those treats I hope our children will remember growing up with, too!

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

1c. Peanut butter

1/2 c. White sugar

1/2 c. Brown sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 heaping Tbsp. Flour (Mom uses self rising, I use all-purpose.  Doesn't matter here.)

Aprox. 18 unwrapped chocolate kids candies (Hershey's)

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl.  Mix together peanut butter with sugars and add egg and vanilla to blend well.  Add the flour and stir to incorporate.

Roll into 1 1/2 in. balls.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes.  As soon as you take them out, have the chocolate kisses ready to press in the middle of each.  Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before digging in! 

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen 

A Frosty Winter's Morning Glory Muffins

The temperatures have been brutal outside despite clear blue skies that look warm as early spring.  I don't mind the extreme cold for just a couple of days, since I've been home with groceries stocked and a fireplace to stay as toasty as possible!  In fact, I am one to believe winter should be cold, despite popular opinion. :)  It helps balance our smoldering summers.

We've all woken up to chillier than usual bedrooms despite turning up the heat.  (I mean, what can you do when the lows are below 0, ha?!). So our sweet babies have had the bright idea to completely bundle--or bungle as the little miss says-- in our warmest, softest cable knit sweater throws!

I think they have the right idea to stay toasty warm!!! :)

The morning Mr. Cozy was off, Monday, I made a batch of these wonderful Morning Glory muffins!  They're easy since the base is actually a box mix.  They're chock full of things like pineapple, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, apples and even carrots.  The addition of cinnamon and the wonderful streusel makes them smell divine when baking!  I added a simple glaze to finish these irresistibly cozy muffins off.  A cross between carrot or hummingbird cake and spice bread... This is a delicious recipe!!

When frost covers your window panes as the sun comes up, what better than to warm up by the fire or in your favorite blanket and sip on fresh coffee with a homemade morning glory muffin!  

Morning Glory Muffins

Adapted from Southern Living 

1/4 c. Milk

1/4 c. Canola oil

2 large Eggs

1 (15.2 oz) pkg. Cinnamon streusel muffin mix

1/2 tsp. ground Cinnamon

1 8 oz. can crushed Pineapple, in juice

3/4 c. Grated peeled apple (calls for Granny Smith but I used Gala)

3/4 c. Shredded carrots (not pre-shredded) I recommend grated yourself

3/4 c. Toasted pecans, chopped

1/2 c. Raisins or dried cranberries

Baking spray 

For the Glaze* 

1 c. Powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp. Milk or Orange juice

* the glaze is my go-to glaze "recipe".  Sometimes I also add a splash of vanilla.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Whisk together first 3 ingredients until blended.

Remove and set aside streusel pkg. from the box.  In a large bowl, mix together the muffin mix and ground cinnamon.  Make a well in the center, and add the egg mixture, pineapple and next 4 ingredients, stirring just until moistened and no more.

Place baking cups in muffin pan and spray with cooking spray.  Spoon batter evely until 2/3 full.  Sprinkle the streusel packet evenly over the muffins.

Bake for 18-23 minutes on the top rack.  I didn't have mine high enough and the bottoms almost got too dark.

Stir together glaze ingredients and once muffins have cooled 10 minutes, spoon the glaze over the top for it to sink in a bit and coat the tops, too! 

Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Delicious Pepper Jack Corn Muffins

As a Southern country girl, I grew up on cornbread.  Fried golden and crisp is some of the best food there is, or baked up moist and tender is so delicious, too!  Cornbread is a staple in my family, since it goes so well with many delicious foods.  Stews, soup, chili and BBQ are even better with a side of homemade cornbread, especially in the cold winter months!  When I got a the new Gooseberry Patch cookbook Hometown Christmas as a gift, I was excited to try out this new recipe for cornbread muffins.

These cheesy cornbread muffins are the best cornbread muffins I've ever had!!!

They are super tender and very flavorful!  Sour cream makes them moist, creamed corn makes them sweet, and the cheese gives them delicious flavor!  I love using yellow cornmeal the best, because it adds a great texture, too.  Last night I made a batch of these beauties for supper, and everyone raved! When I say they're some of the best--as much cornbread as I've eaten in my lifetime-- you can trust that you'll also love this recipe with your next comforting meal!

Pepper Jack Corn Muffins

Gooseberry's Hometown Christmas

1 1/2 c. Yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

3/4 c. Sour cream

1/4 c. Canola oil

1 14 oz. Can creamed corn

3/4 c. Pepper jack (I had cheddar and used that) shredded

Paprika

Spray muffin cups with baking spray and preheat oven to 400.  In a large bowl, combine cornmeal and next two ingredients and set aside.  In a smaller bowl, whisk eggs with sour cream and next 3 ingredients.  Stir until just moistened.  Spoon evenly into muffin cups and sprinkle with paprika or cayenne, if you like heat.

Bake for 23-25 until golden.  Serve warm.  Makes 12.

Our Christmas Photos & recipe for Yummy Classic Molasses Cookies

This shouldn't come as a surprise to you, but one of my favorite things about Christmas is the nibbling of cookies, candies, cakes and every wonderful confection the season brings!  It's the one holiday that we all can agree to indulge without guilt, and I think it should be that way!  I mentioned in my earlier post (on my fun Christmas facts) some of my favorite desserts and candies of the season.  They include my mom's peanut butter balls and her fresh coconut cake that we endearingly call, the snowball cake.  Others are my own raspberry linzer Christmas tree cookies and easy toffee cracker candy.  This year I've added two new favorite that will definitely become tradition next year: Martha Washingtons (aka coconut-pecan bonbons) and these super soft and chewy molasses crinkles!

I really can't say enough about how wonderful these cookies are!!!  

They are an old fashioned recipe, which guarantees deliciousness, and a simple one at that!  Ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves, marry with molasses to give one of the most Christmas-y tasting cookies there is!  They're rolled in sugar before being baked to give them a sparkly crinkle finish that I love.  Gingerbread boys are so fun and cute, but these cookies have a similar flavor that is way chewer and--in my humble opinion--more scrumptious!!

Classic Molasses Cookies

Recipe from, The Yummy Life

2 c. All-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground ginger

3/4 c. butter, melted

1 c. plus 1/3 c. white sugar, divided

1 egg, room temp

1/4 c. molasses 

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger; set aside.  In a medium bowl, with a mixer on low speed, blend together the melted butter, 1 cup of sugar, and egg until smooth.  Stir in molasses.  With mixer on low speed gradually add the flour mixture; mix until completely combined.  This is important:  Cover and chill dough in fridge for 1 hour.  I actually refrigerated this dough for about 48.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Roll dough into walnut sized balls, roll each ball into (the 1/3 c.) sugar.  Place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until tops are cracked, but the center is still gooey.  I usually take out almost underdone to make cookies very chewy!

Serve these detectable molasses crinkles with a hot cup of frothy French press coffee or any other deeply rich coffee that will stand up to this rich cookie!  We gave my mom a French press for Christmas, so on Christmas Eve we had an extraordinary cup of coffee to accompany molasses crinkles and other treats! 

It was special to sit in the cozy sunroom, sip our coffee from pretty cups, and relax with family in the afternoon before dinner!  Sigh .... I miss Christmas already.

Here are some of Mama's confections!

Here's the snowball cake with fruit salad, and homemade egg nog (sans alcohol). Delicious!!!

.....  Here, take a peek with me at my very favorite Christmas "Sweets".

Over the river and through the woods to Grammy and Grandpapa's house we go!

Happy birthday, Jesus!!

Mom's Christmas Eve Breakfast!  

We all stayed the night and awoke in their cozy country house to a light dusting of snow outside and the smell of biscuits and gravy, country ham, fried apples and cranberries, (and more) wafting from the kitchen.  We loved it!!!  Thank you, Mom!

My Sister Love

Our little beauty.

Our little cowboy!

Praise God!  4 Generations!!

Cousins:)

Our family's tradition of Grandad reading The Christmas story from Luke.

Christmas jammies

My favorite Christmas blessing for the past 12 years. ;) xo

We've had a very joyful year, and it ended with a magical Christmas!!! 

Happy New Year to you and yours, and may you "taste and see that the Lord is good".