Toasted German Chocolate Brownies

German chocolate cake is my favorite kind of cake - of course it has to be made right and also be made with unsweetened coconut and not that fake coconut flavor infused kind.  I also always like to toast my coconut or nuts if using them in a recipe - it just really elevates the flavor!

Did you know the German Chocolate cake is actually an American cake?  It got its name from a chocolate maker named Sam German, and was originally called "German's Chocolate cake"...how cool is that!  

I am usually always craving a brownie...I mean really - what better thing is there in the world?  I am addicted to these brownies - I made them 4 times during the Christmas season - changing it a little each time.  The first time I used a different brownie base, but found it too sweet and too cake like.  The second time I made the filling and layered it - so brownie base - filling - brownie top.  This was insanely good, but it was messy and didn't hold together all too well.  So the third time I made the brownies and just topped them hot with the frosting.  This was the best version yet!  I love how they are perfectly sweet, crunchy, tons of texture, and chocolate!

I know lots of you are on diets and such, and I truly am sorry for posting this recipe...but the good news is I am hoping to do my next post on home work out videos I like...so hopefully that helps balance it all out!

Toasted German Chocolate Brownies

my original recipe

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a 9x13" cake pan with parchment. In a medium/large pot melt the following over medium heat:

2 sticks butter

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate or dark chocolate chips, or semi sweet chocolate chips

Once melted remove from heat and add the following and whisk until combined:

2 cups lightly packed brown sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract

Then carefully and quickly beat in 4 lightly beaten eggs. Be sure to whisk continuously otherwise you will end up with scrambled eggs. Once smooth and combined add 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour and mix just until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 20 minutes until they start to pull away from the edges.

While brownies are baking make the coconut/pecan German chocolate frosting.

1 Cup evaporated milk

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted*

1 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted*

Combine milk, sugar, and butter in medium saucepan - over medium heat whisk until butter is melted.  Add egg yolks and continuously whisk -  otherwise you will get scrambled eggs.  Stir and cook over medium/high heat whisking constantly for 3-5 minutes until mixture is thickened.  You don't want it to be sticking to the pan!  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans.  Cool for 5 minutes.

Once brownies are cooked remove from oven and spread frosting evenly over brownies - be sure to slightly press the frosting down into the pans.  Allow to cool completely before slicing into squares.  

* To toast pecans and coconut - place them on separate trays into the preheated oven for - 3 minutes, stir, put back into oven until slightly toasted...coconut toasts pretty quickly - pecans will take a few more minutes.  

Spicy Gingerbread Cookies

Do you have the Christmas Spirit yet?  I definitely caught it this past week.  We did so many Christmas/Advent things it was crazy!

I went caroling at an old folks home with some friends and it was amazing.  We went right when the residents were all getting into bed so it was soothing and magical to be walking through the halls as they prepared to go to sleep - almost seemed as if we were singing lullabies to them.  I was fortunate to be surrounded by really good singers and the acoustics were incredible in the hallways.  We stopped in a few rooms and wished them Merry Christmas and took song requests - glad to see Silent Night is still the most popular carol and not Jingle bells.  They all smiled so sweetly as we sang to them, and many of them shed a few tears.  It was truly beautiful!  I love old people!!!

You know what old people love?  GINGER COOKIES!!  

Ginger is a new flavor to me.  Most of my life I tried avoiding it - really though it was super nasty.  Then one day my brother in law gave me a ginger people ginger chew candy...I almost spit it out in disgust but kept chewing hoping it would get better.  It didn't.  So I ate another one hoping this ginger flavor would grow on me - and guess what?  It worked!  I just kept eating ginger chews, then added it to my meals, drank ginger tea when I was sick, and now we have a very loving and supportive relationship.

We had a cookie decorating party this weekend and I decided to make some gingerbread men since those were my most favorite cookies to decorate when I worked at the bakery - they were just so cute and so darn simple!  I have tried many gingerbread cookie recipes but hadn't found the one yet - until now!  I should have know better and checked with Martha Stewart in the first place, but I didn't...shame on me...I know she is probably crazy, and she committed a crime - but hey - she did her time, and she really is insanely talented if you ask me.  Anywho - this recipe is a winner because it is spicy!  I feel like many of the gingerbread cookies I have tried are just weak in flavor - it is as if they are trying not to go overboard so instead they aim way under and don't add enough ginger or molasses.  These guys are different - they are dark, they are crisp, they are perfectly Christmasy in the way they should be.

I think my Scandinavian ancestors would be proud knowing that I now love gingerbread...I am really tempted to braid my hair now and wear clogs...I realize this is combining many cultures that I may or may not be a descendant of but it doesn't matter - it is Christmas - anything goes!

Ready to decorate cookies!
Do you like how our table is wrapped with wrapping paper - a great way to add color to your Christmas party - this was my Mom's idea and we do it for lots of our parties!

Look I made a little demo video for rolling out gingerbread cookies!

Spicy Gingerbread Cookies

Barely adapted from Martha Stewart and Smitten Kitchen

6 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves

1 teaspoon finely ground pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 cup (2 sticks or 1/2 pound) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup unsulfured molasses

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Beat butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in eggs and molasses. Add flour mixture, mixing on low until just combined. Divide dough into thirds and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about one hour or up to two days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. Cut into shapes of your choice, such as snowflakes* or gingerbread men. Spread two inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

When cool, you can decorate the cookies with icing and sprinkles.

Make these cookies, go visit an elderly person and bring them these cookies, and then make sure you take the time to find and see the Christmas spirit this year!

Eat your heart out,

Dagny

Fieldings Wood Grill, The Woodlands, TX

Last night was absolutely dreary.  It was cold, it was wet, it was dark.  Oh how we just wanted to 

call it a night in, but our stomachs disagreed and we decided to venture out and get some 

grub.  I kept hearing about this new place in the Woodlands a lot recently and decided it was 

time we checked it out.

It was so dang good!  Fielding's uses super high quality ingredients and they make everything 

in house and from scratch - including the pickles and buns!  This is their description from their 

website:

"We use only 100% Black Angus natural beef from 44 Farms, grind our meat twice daily, and make our own bacon, sauces, sides, and buns - yes, we even have a gluten free bun from our in-house bakery. We make milk shakes from scratch, using milk from Mill King Dairy. Virtually all our stuff is local, natural, hormone and antibiotic free."

The restaurant itself is hip with the nice wood tones meets metal urban look.  It also had a sweet Ipad bar with a whole row of Ipads for their customers to use.  The bar looked pretty awesome too, but we sat on the opposite end of the restaurant.  I also really liked how their kitchen was totally open and had windows all around so the customers could see how their food was prepared.  Added bonus for a foodie like myself!  They also had a locker or meat dry aging - it looked awesome.  

The service was very accommodating.  We were greeted promptly - actually more than promptly - there was a hostess who saw us even before we entered the restaurant and she grabbed 2 menus and was ready to go even before we walked through the door.  Our server was very sweet and took the time to tell us about the restaurant and all the specials they had.  

We were both super impressed with our food and are planning to go back soon for brunch!  Andrew got their bison chili with a house made biscuit - it was super meaty and the perfect amount of spice, and the biscuit was tender and delicious!  I got the Wood Grill burger...it was sublime!  The milk bun was so soft and the perfect size - I can't stand when the bun over powers the meat in size - drives me bananas.  The bread and butter pickles were nice and light, perfectly seasoned.  The meat was cooked to medium degree and it was so moist.  They also topped the burger with a stack of grilled onions which really added that extra layer of flavor that put this burger over the top for me.  One of the best burgers I have ever eaten!  Andrew loved it too!  We also got their Baked potato french fries - it was a baked potato that they cut up into wedges and fried, then coated them in a nice layer of crunchy salt.  They were uber good.  They also had a whole list of sauce options to go with the fries but we stuck with the ketchup - next time I will try one of their house made sauces.  We were really quite satisfied after the meal, but our sweet teeth couldn't walk away from their broken pecan jar dessert with house made ice cream.  It was basically warm pecan pie in a jar.  The only thing wrong with this dessert was that their wasn't more of it!  We are not ashamed to say we licked our spoons clean on this one. 

We went home with full and happy bellies and are happy to have found a new restaurant to add to our rotation.  

Welcome to The Woodlands - Fieldings Wood Grill! 

Happy eating!

Chocolate Cranberry Cake

I know that Thanksgiving is a pie holiday, but frankly I just didn't have the patience to make a pie.  I wanted something quick, yummy, and with some element of Thanksgiving in it.  My Mom has been buying these chocolate covered goji berries recently and I really wanted to capture that lovely tart meets sweet element in a cake with cranberries instead of goji berries.  I was happy to see there were many options on the internet for cranberry chocolate cakes.  I decided to go with this recipe since it didn't call for milk and a certain someone in my life can't do the whole milk thing.  If you want to go ahead and make this cake 100% dairy free you can swap out coconut oil for the butter.

I made this cake for my Church Young Adult Group Thanksgiving potluck this weekend.  We feasted on exceptional food and enjoyed each others company.  I sure do love all the get together's that happen during the Holiday season. : )  This cake was a big hit and I was barely able to sneak away an extra piece for my Monday lunch dessert...sure glad I did though because the cake tastes even better today!

Chocolate Cranberry Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook New Classics

Makes 1 8-inch cake

1 1/2 cups flour (you can use all white, or half whole-wheat pastry and half white)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola, safflower, or vegetable oil

1 cup chilled brewed coffee

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 cup cranberries tossed with 2 tablespoons sugar

Chocolate Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat over to 375°F. Oil an 8-inch cake pan, then dust with cocoa powder - not flour. 

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Whisk together to break up any clumps in the cocoa.

In a second medium bowl, combine the oil, coffee, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix together until smooth. Stir in the cranberries.

Add the vinegar and stir – you’ll see light swirls of fizz form as the vinegar and baking soda react. Immediately, pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Take the cake out of the oven and cool 15 minutes then Remove from pan.  When cool, frost with the chocolate glaze.

Glaze

6 ounce(s) quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 stick(s) (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon(s) light corn syrup

1 tablespoon(s) orange liqueur or dark rum

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana Soup (Instant Pot version too)

I rarely eat at Olive Garden, but when I do - I order Zuppa Toscana.

Isn't that such a fun name to say?  "Zuppa Toscana" this translates into "Tuscany Soup"

The cold weather is finally here.  It arrived last night.  I got home from work and all I wanted to do was make soup.  So I made the world's fastest chicken soup...seriously...it was fast.  Now I want to plan my weekly schedule around when I can make soup.  Soup is good, it is true, and it is beautiful.  I think I love the cold weather solely because I get to make and eat more soup.

I try not to eat dairy, and some of my people don't eat dairy either - so I made this dairy free by using coconut milk instead of heavy cream/milk.  If you love dairy and can eat it by all means use heavy cream/milk/ or half and half.

Zuppa Toscana

1 pound ground Italian Sausage, chicken or pork*

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes*

4 slices bacon chopped (optional)

1 large onion, diced

1 TBS minced garlic

64 ounces chicken broth

8 small red potatoes sliced in half, then sliced thin

1 cup canned coconut milk

1 Large bunch of Kale - cleaned, stems removed, and chopped

In large stock pot cook the Italian sausage and chili flakes until browned and no longer pink.  Remove from pan, drain, and set aside.  Cook the bacon in the same pan until crisp.  Drain off some of the fat - not all of it!  Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes of medium/high heat - stirring every once in a while.

Pour the broth over the bacon/onion bring to a boil.  Add the potatoes and boil until tender.  Reduce heat and add in the coconut milk and sausage.  Add the Kale and cook for a few minutes.  I like my kale crisp so I only cook it for a minute or 2.

*If you can't find ground sausage you can also use Italian sausage links cut up into slices.
*If you like your soup spicier add up to 1 1/4 tsp chili flakes

Updated Instant Pot Version (2/1/19)

Turn instant pot on to saute mode.  Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered.  Remove from pan. If you aren't using bacon just add a TBS of olive oil instead.  Add sausage and saute for 3-5 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.  Add onions and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes.  Then add the meat back in, the potatoes and the broth.  Stir.  Seal lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.  When done wait for 5 minutes before releasing the pressure.  Add in the kale and the coconut milk and stir until kale is to desired tenderness.  

Down House Coffee Bar and Restaurant, Houston, TX

photo from the Down House website

This weekend was one of the first "free" weekends we had in a long time!  It was so nice to not have any plans!  We had a totally chill weekend and it was great.  We ended the weekend by going to get dinner in the Heights at this wonderful place called Down House.  For some reason all I have been craving recently was a burger, so I looked up a list of Houston's best burger places and this place popped up.  The menu caught my eye and Andrew's - so we decided to give it a try.

The restaurant itself was chill, low lighting inside, great porch outside with lovely green plants all around.  Totally a hipster feel to the whole place...which usually means good food is sure to follow. : )  We were greeted promptly by a very friendly staff and opted for porch seating since the weather was perfect!

Andrew decided to be adventurous and tried a strange cocktail that was recommended by the waiter...can't remember the name, but it had gin, and mint in it.  I took one sip and decided it tasted like Lysol.  Yuck.  Then again, I am the last person you want giving you drink recommendations since I don't really drink alcohol...pretty sure people who like Gin would like it though.   I am recently on a Ginger Beer kick, and was so happy to see they made their own Ginger Beer!  It was so light and refreshing.

Their menu had some Asian, Mexican, and Mediterranean fusions, but the underlying theme was home cooked - old school - deliciousness.  We were tempted by the other menu options like these:  

• Little Gem Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Chevre, Spicy Walnuts, Mustard Vinaigrette 
• Fried Risotto, Butternut Squash, Crispy Okra, Grapes, Arugula, Baba Ghanoush 
• Shrimp and Grits, Poached Gulf Shrimp, Pho Broth, Bacon, Cilantro, Green Onions, Anson Mills Grits 

We decided to stick to the plan and ordered the Lonestar Burger with a side salad and the Kimchi Burger 
with fries.



We were not disappointed.  

The Challah bun was soft and slightly sweet - they try to get their ingredients local - and the bread was from 
Slow Dough Bread Company.

The sharp white cheddar cheese was from Dairymaids.  The Heirloom tomato was thick and hearty, and the 
lettuce in my salad was so tender and light - so fresh!  The meat was cooked perfectly and the lovely meat 
juices tasted so good soaked up into the bread.

• The Kimchi Burger was different, but good!  The best part was the perfectly cooked sunny side up egg...the waiter suggested flipping it over and cracking the yolk over the kimchi.  Yum.  The fries were nice russet potatoes, very earthy and perfectly cooked.
  
  
  
  
  
  We were tempted to try their bread pudding and warm chocolate chip cookies, but we had crave cupcakes waiting in the car for us.
  
  
  Overall we both really liked the restaurant and want to go back and try their brunch out.  The prices were slightly higher than other burger places, but for the high quality of the ingredients - $15/burger was definitely worth it.  The service was great, and our waiter was very helpful and you could tell he wanted us to really enjoy our dining experience.
  
  
  My favorite part was they brought us our check in a book - yes, an actual book.  Now the book choice wasn't my favorite - some weird Darwin book, but you have to love the creative idea even if you don't like the book. : )
  
  
  Nice job Down House...If I had 5 stars to give you - you would have them.  You just gained 2 new happy customers : )
  
  

  

  photo from the Down House website
  
  If you are in the Heights stop by and enjoy a delicious meal!
  1801 YALE STREET • HOUSTON, TX 77008

  
  
  
  
      

Pumpkin Cupcakes topped with Heath Bar Crumbles

4th Pumpkin Post in a row!  I am on a roll.

If you are batty and do not like pumpkin than I think you might be in the wrong place.

I just heard on the radio that on Halloween the average kid consumes between 3,500-7,000 calories!  Holy moley - that is sick!  My daily calorie intake is usually less than 1,300 - so to me that is insanely ridiculous!  I definitely went overboard on my calories yesterday seeing as I made these delicious cupcakes and had to eat 2 of them!  So worth it!

I celebrated Halloween last weekend with a pirate themed mystery party.  It was super fun.  I looked like a pirate and sounded Irish/Scottish/Countryish...it was epic.  People kept asking me if I was Johnny Depp or Jack Sparrow...um no...I am his distant cousin Sharktooth Brandy.  Obviously.

Me and me handsome Sea Captain : )

My niece stuck with her plan B and dressed up like the Queen of hearts.  Her costume turned out better than I thought it would...always happy when that happens.  Amazing what you can do with some safety pins, and a glue gun!  Now all we have to do is work on her posing skills : )

Do you know what the day after Halloween is?  All Saint's Day!  This is a day set aside to honor all the Saints that have gone before us.  Growing up we didn't have a tv - so instead we read piles and piles of books.  2 of my favorite books were the "sixty saints for girls" and "sixty saints for boys" books.  They were fun and easy to read.  I think I read those books a million times!!!  I looked them up on Amazon and they are out of print and mucho expensive.  As kids Saints were always described to me as being heroes.  They would always do the impossible, and always stood up for their faith.  If only I could be as brave as they were!

Today most kids look up to role models like Miley Cyrus, Justin Beiber, or any Disney show character.  Personally I don't think it is good to have role models like that.  How awesome it would be if we started giving our kids good role models to look up to that have strong Faith and love as their grounding characteristics?  It would be saweet!  Anyways, I need to go find these books again and give them to my niece to read.

Cupcakes.  Oh yeah, that is what you are looking for.  I have stalled long enough...I now present to you...PUMPKIN CUPCAKES!


Pumpkin Cupcakes
barely adapted from Ina Garten

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (2 1.4-ounce bars)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 count muffin pan or put cupcake liners into pan.

Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined.

Divide the batter among the prepared tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

Spread the cupcakes with the Maple Frosting and sprinkle with the chopped Heath toffee bits.

Maple Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon Maple Syrup

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter on low speed until smooth. Stir in the maple syrup and vanilla extract. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Make these cupcakes, sit down with a cup of tea, and read a story about one of the Saints.  

Pray that maybe you too could have the strength and courage to be a Saint!

Eat your heart out,

Dagny