Brownie Points!

When we were kids, my step mom, Olivia, used to make my brother and me caramel brownies. She didn't make them very often and I remember them being really good (they were my brother's favorite) but I thought maybe it was a difficult recipe so they were only made for special occasions. I was wrong! She shared the recipe with me and they could not be simpler to make. I took the liberty to tweak things here and there (that's what I do) because the amounts were a little vague and I like to be specific when it comes to baking. Specific amounts in baking lead to consistent results, am I right? Here we go!

Pillsbury® recently sent me their new seasonal line of cake and cookie mixes just in time for holiday baking. I received Chocolate Peppermint Premium Cookie Mix, Traditional Sugar Premium Cookie Mix, Dark Chocolate Premium Cake Mix as well as Peppermint Frosting and Funfetti Frostings in Rudolph Red and Garland Green. My step mom's recipe for caramel brownies called for German Chocolate cake mix, but I opted for the Dark Chocolate Cake mix for these rich and gooey brownies. To learn more about these products, visit Pillsbury on Facebook, PillsburyBaking.com and Pillsbury on Pinterest. 

Dark Chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, gooey caramel, crunchy pecans. You know these were good...and decadent! These brownies are for sharing. After making these and being left with an entire pan of brownies, I now understand why my step mom only made these about 1-2 times a year. They are dangerous and so much better than I remembered. I'm typically a "plain jane" brownie person and don't like anything but cocoa in my brownies but these are excellent. Thanks for the recipe and the trip down memory lane Olivia :-) I hope you'll seek out these new Pillsbury® products and make these brownies!

Dark Chocolate Caramel Nut Brownies 

adapted from my step mom, Olivia Luna

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• 14-16 oz. package caramels (50-60 caramels)
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1- 15.25 oz. box Pillsbury Dark Chocolate Premium Cake Mix
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and line it with a sheet of parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the edges. Spray the paper once again with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the caramels and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk. Stir occasionally over medium heat until the caramels melt and the mixture becomes smooth. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the brownie batter. 

In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, melted butter, vanilla extract and the remaining evaporated milk. Mix until well combined. 

Press half of the brownie batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 6 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the oven and gently and evenly drizzle the caramel mixture over brownie base. Evenly distribute the chocolate chips and the chopped pecans over the caramel. Crumble the remaining brownie batter evenly over the nuts and chocolate and return back to the oven. 

Bake for an additional 20-22 minutes. It will be hard to tell when it's done because the brownies will be really gooey in the center and don't firm up until they have cooled completely, but don't bake any longer than the recommended time. 

Cool completely until the brownies have reached room temperature. Using the handles of the overlapping parchment paper, lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut the brownies into squares. Store in an airtight container. 

I was provided with product samples and compensation by Pillsbury, though the opinions I express here are my own.

©/® The J.M. Smucker Company. Pillsbury is a trademark of The Pillsbury Company, LLC, used under license.

Our Last Vintage Cake

For the past year, The Cake Slice Bakers and I have been baking from Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson. I missed a baking a few of the recipes when I was writing the cookbook, but the ones I did bake were quite tasty. This is a beautiful book and full of great recipes. If you're a cake fiend like I am, I would recommend you check this book out. 

Next month, we'll be baking from a new cake book so this month, rather than voting on and baking a specific cake, we had the choice to bake any cake we wanted from this book. I narrowed it down to two cakes but eventually decided on Texas Sheetcake because it's my hubby's favorite. The other cake I wanted to make was the Kentucky Bourbon cake. I still intend to make it, I just got busy and ran out of time. My friend Maranda from Jolts & Jollies made it and shared it on her blog if you're interested in the recipe. It looks delicious! 

It's not very often that Hayden falls asleep with Daddy on the couch- he hasn't done that since he was an infant. How sweet is this though? Those curls, my goodness!

This cake was very simple to put together and feeds a crowd. That's the beauty of sheet cakes. I divided the batter between to pans and took some to my mother-in-law. The cake was very moist although it was a little crumbly, in my opinion. Perhaps I could have baked it a couple minutes less or added a tad more oil or an extra egg next time??? There are so many recipes to try though, so I don't feel the need to remake this one. If you make it, I hope you'll let me know how you like it!

Texas Sheetcake from Vintage Cakes

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Cake:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup lightly packed premium unsweetened natural cocoa
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup  lightly packed premium unsweetened cocoa
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped nuts

Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 15 by 10 by 2-inch baking pan.

To make the cake, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa. Add the oil and water and bring to a rolling boil for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, then whisk the ingredients by hand to ensure they are well mixed. Pour the warm cocoa mixture into the sifted ingredients and whisk until just combined. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula, stir the buttermilk mixture into the batter. Pour the batter into the greased pan and place in the center of the oven. 

Bake until the top is firm and a wooden skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out with moist crumbs, 32 to 35 minutes.

While the cake is in the oven, make the frosting: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa and bring the mixture to a rolling boil; boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while whisking continuously. 

Immediately after the cake comes out of the oven, pour the frosting over the hot cake and sprinkle with the nuts. Try not to jiggle the cake before it sets or you'll leave waves in the frosting. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.

Well wrapped and stored at room temperature, this cake keeps for up to 5 days.

Want a bite?

National Pecan Day!

Today is National Pecan Day! Since it's my second favorite nut (right behind Mr. H) I thought I'd share some of the tastiest pecan recipes that I've made over the years.

Banana Pecan Butter Buns
Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake
Waffles with Butter Pecan Syrup
Monkey Bread
Drunk Blondies
Pecan Pie Bars
Kentucky Derby Pie Bars
Magic Cookie Bars
Hummingbird Cake
Carrot Cake
Cinderella Cake
Italian Cream Cake
Texas Sheet Cake
Maple Pecan Shortbread
Pecan Butter Balls
Cowboy Cookies
Mini Pecan Pie Cupcakes
Texas Sheetcake Cupcakes
Graham Breakaways
Pumpkin Pie Cake
Sticky Bun Pumpkin Muffins
Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie
Kahlua Pecan Pie
Hoosier Pie
Derby Pie
Goldfish Bowl Bites

Happy Pecan Baking!

Insanely Great Waffles and Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend. We celebrated a few birthdays, dyed eggs, took some pictures in a field of bluebonnets, I baked and cooked til I fell into bed and we had an Easter egg hunt. This was Hayden's second Easter but the first time he was big enough to get involved. I got him a puppy basket and filled eggs with yogurt raisins and m&m's. He also got a new toothbrush and toothpaste which he LOVES. He could brush his teeth all day long if you let him. He had so much fun hunting eggs and crushing cascarones in the backyard, that my aunt and uncle brought over. 

This year for Easter, my grandparents were in town so the family gathered and we had brunch. I made a lemon tart, a strawberry cake, a breakfast casserole, wrapped up Cowboy cookies as favors and whipped up a quintuple batch of these waffles. I usually make yeasted Belgian waffles but these are much quicker to prepare and just as delicious. I made them the night before, froze them, then reheated them in the oven just as the guests arrived. It saved a ton of time and everyone got piping hot waffles. The only thing missing was the fried chicken!  

Waffles of Insane Greatness from Food Network

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• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4 

NOTE: The waffles will vary in size depending on your waffle maker. I have a Belgian waffle maker that produces thick waffles. This recipe makes 6 squares of waffles. I often double or triple the recipe and freeze the leftovers for a quick breakfast during the week. 

Buttered Pecan Syrup from Monica H

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine pecans, butter and syrup. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Just before serving, stir in vanilla extract. Pour over waffles, pancakes, or ice cream. 

Serves 4

Happy Spring!

Playing Catch Up With Lots of Random Photos

I was going to share with you my top recipes of 2012 but I haven't gotten my act together and compiled that list yet. Instead I thought I'd share some pictures that I've taken over the last couple months of recipes that I've made, sunsets from my backyard and a few pics of Hayden thrown in for good measure. And a caterpillar- can't forget him! Sound good? Here we go!

I photographed this breakfast casserole for a holiday magazine. This time I made it with ham and cheddar. Looks good enough to eat! One of my favorite casseroles to eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

This boy loves marshmallows and steals them out of the pantry every chance he gets. This particular time, it was for breakfast. Busted!

I made this pecan cheesecake pie for Thanksgiving but never got around to taking any more photos of the completed pie, then it all got eaten and there was nothing to take pictures of. It's a pecan pie with a layer of cheesecake filling in it. It was yummy served cold!

My little man stirring up something delicious. 

 

I searched high and low for the perfect pumpkin pie recipe. My brother absolutely loves it and every year he buys several pies from a BBQ restaurant here in town. To be honest they're really not that good. They're kind of dry and bland so I made sure to make an extra special pie for him. And you know what? It was delicious and spicy and creamy and tender. One of the best pumpkin pies I've ever eaten, actually. My brother said it was good but immediately followed it up with a criticism. That's pretty typical. Come to find out, he likes cheesecake and pumpkin pie to be hard and dry in texture. That's his personal preference, but if you like smooth and creamy and spicy pumpkin pie with a special ingredient, this pie is for you!

Fuzzy little guy!

I made these for Christmas as plate decorations for the neighbors to go along with their Christmas cupcakes. I also had a few with cocoa. :-) These are so easy to make. Just like your pan with wax, parchment or a Silpat. Put your mini candy canes together to form hearts, fill with melted chocolate and sprinkle with non-pareils. Allow to set up at room temperature and you're done. 

 

Didn't have time to get family photos done this year, so I took some of Hayden by himself in from of the tree to use on our Christmas card. He's a pretty handsome guy, if I say so myself!

Here we are Christmas morning, before opening gifts. I set the time on the DSLR and kept running back and forth to make sure the lighting and composition were set up correctly. About 50 pictures and a not-so-amused-husband later, I realized I didn't even bother to brush my hair. Oh well. Merry Christmas!

And lastly, my Aunt Mary's Sugar Cookies. Made with powdered sugar instead of granulated so they're extra tender. These really aren't the kind you top with icing, but they're still fun to decorate with colored sugar and sprinkles. I make these every year with different cookie cutters. 

Hope you enjoyed my catch up post. Have a great rest of the week!

~Monica

A Classic Recipe With A Twist

The members of the "Lick The Bowl" household are Texas Sheet Cake lovers. Being fans of chocolate cake, cinnamon kissed fudgy icing loaded with homegrown toasted pecans....What's not to love? Well if you're not nut or chocolate fans, then move on, but if you're a sucker for the good stuff like I am, then stick around and pour yourself a glass of icy milk, because I turned the Southern potluck favorite into cupcakes!

Traditionally, a Texas Sheet Cake is baked and served in the same pan. While the cake is still warm from the oven, you pour the molten icing over it and allow it to cool. This gives the icing and the cake ample opportunity to bond and become one with one another as the icing oozes into all the nooks and crannies. It's a good thing, trust me. My version starts off with a simple one-bowl chocolate cupcake then after it's cooled,  gets iced with a rich and sweet cocoa icing loaded with toasted pecans. Allowing the cupcakes and icing to cool a bit before topping them them helps keep the icing intact, rather than sliding off the cupcake and onto the counter. 

"Momma give me a cupcake!" 

These cupcakes were rich and decadent, just like the typical sheet cake. All the elements of the classic cake are still there, just in a new and prettier (updated) package, which makes them perfect for gift giving or celebrations. I don't know about you, but I like classic recipes with a twist- it keeps things fresh and exciting. If you're a Texas Sheet Cake fan, I sincerely hope you'll consider whipping up a batch or two and sharing with your loved ones. 

Texas Sheet Cake Cupcakes from Monica h

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Chocolate Cupcakes:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake tins with 18 paper liners and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Using a wire whisk, blend the dry ingredients thoroughly.

Add the oil, water, vanilla and eggs to the dry ingredients. Whisk until well incorporated and no lumps remain.  

Evenly divide the batter between the lined cupcakes tins.

Bake the cupcakes for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes; then place them on a rack to cool completely before topping with pecan fudge icing.

Toasted Pecan Fudge Icing: 

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

While the oven is still on, place your pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven for 10 minutes until the pecans become aromatic and have turned a slight golden brown, being careful not to burn them. 

Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet. Once cool, chop the pecans and set them aside. 

In a medium sauce pot, combine butter, milk, cocoa and cinnamon (if using). Stir over low heat until butter is melted. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time while continuing to stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and chopped pecans. 

Take the pan off the heat but leave the icing in the pot. Allow the icing to cool for 15-30 minutes until the pot is cool enough to touch. The icing will thicken as it cools. You want the icing to be thick enough to stay on top of the cupcake but not too thick that it doesn't spread. If your icing becomes hard and too thick to handle, place it back on the stove over low heat and stir until the desired consistency is met. 

Using a small ice cream scoop, place a small mound on top of each cupcake. The icing will spread slightly and possibly drip down the sides a bit, depending how warm your icing is. Divide evenly over each cupcake. Allow the icing to cool completely and set before enjoying. 

Store loosely covered at room temperature. 

Makes 18 cupcakes. 

Blondies, Bars, and A Cookbook Giveaway!

I've been in a funk lately and haven't been cooking or baking. I'm not really sure why. I haven't had much of an appetite either and I think that's probably why the lack of interest in being in the kitchen. Thank goodness for Mr. H and his ability to prepare a meal or we would have starved this past week. (Thanks babe!) Last week, I went to visit my friend, Maranda of Jolts and Jollies. We baked together while her son and Hayden "played" together. We pretended that we were getting the kids together for a playdate, but really is was so we could play in the kitchen with sugar and flour!

We baked from the new cookbook, Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook from Cheryl and Griffith Day. If you haven't checked out this book yet, put it on your list because there was not one thing in there that I didn't want to make. It's a great cookbook- the pictures are bright and clear and the recipes themselves are not overly complicated. I chose to make Drunk Blondies that were cram packed with toasted coconut, chocolate chips and pecans but they were so perfectly balanced in flavor that not one ingredient stood out over the other.

These blondies were so buttery and chewy and delicious. My absolute favorite part was the edges though- oh my goodness, they're good! There's also a healthy dose of Bourbon in these too, hence the name, Drunk Blondies, but the alcohol taste was subtle. If you're not a fan of baking with spirits, simply leave it out, but I thought it was a nice addition. Maranda chose to make Lemon Pie Bars that were perfectly tart and sweet and had a melt in your mouth crust. Both recipes were winners! Are you interested in winning a copy of Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook? Scroll down to the end of this post to see how!

Drunk Blondies from Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook

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• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons bourbon
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
• 1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13x2-inch baking pan and line with parchment, allowing the ends of the paper to hang over two opposite edges of the pan. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. 

Put the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir with a spoon until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and bourbon, and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in the flour mixture, followed by the pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut the blondies into bars. The blondies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

TIP: The easiest way to toast coconut is in the oven. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the coconut in a baking pan and bake for 5-8 minutes, tossing every couple of minutes with a heat-resistant spoon to ensure even browning. Keep a close eye on the coconut, because it can burn easily. 

For the recipe for Lemon Pie Bars and for a chance to win your very own copy of Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook please visit my friend Maranda at Jolts and Jollies. Tell her your most memorable back in the day baking memory and this book could be yours! While you're there, kick up your feet and stay awhile. Happy Baking!

A Tasty Snack and A Winner

Hope everyone has has a nice week. I feel like it was just Mother's Day and now it's the weekend again. We had a great Mother's Day and took Hayden to the park to play on the swings for the first time. He was a little hesitant but he had fun and kept trying to eat the chain links (ewww!). The rest of the week was filled with doctor visits and appointments and I was kept very busy. I did manage to squeeze in a much needed haircut since I hadn't trimmed my hair since before Hayden was born! Needless to say, I did not get to bake up anything new this week so I'm sharing a treat I made earlier in the year. 

Mr. H loves this snack. His mom has been making Goldfish Bowl Bites for as far back as I can remember. She serves it in a giant glass round bowl that looks like a Goldfish bowl and she covers it with yellow plastic wrap that she's had in the cupboard for the last 10 years, that she inherited from her mother-in-law. It's kind of funny, but that never ending roll of Plastic wrap is finally used up. haha! My mother-in-law hasn't made these in awhile so when Mr. H gets the craving we whip up a batch together. 

This snack is buttery, crunchy salty, and loaded with Ranch flavor. The original recipe calls for pretzel crackers but those aren't my favorite so we just use the plain and cheddar Goldfish. You can use any combination you'd like, though I would avoid those with extra flavoring like the pizza and extra cheesy ones. We also like to add a bit more Ranch powder and pecans but that's just personal preference. My changes are noted below. My favorite thing about this recipe is when you get a clump of crackers that get a bit more love from the butter and Ranch topping. As they bake those pieces get nice and crusty and pack a punch of flavor. I like to dig those fishies out and eat them first- so good! This recipes makes a lot and would be good for large crowds, parties, or school events but could easily be halved. Enjoy!

Goldfish Bowl Bites
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• 2 (6 ounce) bags plain Goldfish® crackers* (see note)
• 1 (6 ounce) bag cheddar Goldfish® crackers
• 1 (6 ounce) bag pretzel Goldfish® crackers
• 1 cup pecan halves (I double this)
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 envelope (3 Tablespoons) Ranch salad dressing mix (I use 4 Tbsp.) 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Combine crackers and pecans in large shallow roasting pan. Combine melted butter, Worcestershire and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over crackers; gently stir to coat. 

Bake 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Once evenly toasted, remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving.  

NOTE: Any combination of of Goldfish crackers will do. You just need 4 six-ounce bags. I like to use 2 plain, a bag of Cheddar and a bag of the baby Goldfish crackers. 

And the winner of the Chinet Bakeware is #42- Andrew's Mom of Mad Rantings of Andrew's Mom. Congratulations. Please email me with your address as soon as you can. Oh and send me your recipe for Mac and Cheese too :-)