Chookie Brownies

Chookie Brownies - made August 29, 2019 from Extreme Brownies by Connie Weis

This looks like a very involved recipe but don't let the sheer length discourage you from trying it. Think of it as just making two layers and baking them together. The bottom layer is the chocolate chip layer and you make it as easily as any chocolate chip cookie dough. The original recipe has you separating out some of the dough to bake as individual mini cookies later and that's what I tried to do (we'll get to that). Then you bake the cookie layer for 25-ish minutes, take it out, let it cool then top it with the brownie batter to bake further.

I got a little creative and after the cookie layer had come out of the oven and cooled for a few minutes, I spread it with salted caramel sauce from Trader Joe's. I envisioned a nice separate layer of caramel between the baked chocolate chip cookie layer and the brownie layer. You know how I'm always chasing that separate caramel layer.

And it eluded me once again. I think I have to give up on Trader Joe's caramel sauce for that and stick to melting some Kraft caramels with milk (I keep saying that and not doing it). But I really thought, since the cookie layer was already baked, that the caramel sauce wouldn't seep to the bottom. I was wrong.

But I wasn't completely wrong to try it as the caramel layer did keep the cookie layer moist even though it ended up going back into the oven to bake the brownie layer atop it. The brownies took a little longer than 25 minutes in my oven and I worried that the cookie layer would be overbaked and dry. It wasn't, probably thanks to my errant caramel (non)layer.

I cheated on the semisweet chocolate glaze as I was running low on chocolate chips. So I frosted it with hazelnut spread (Kirkland brand which doesn't use palm oil). For the taste test picture, I did bake one of the "mini" chocolate chip cookies from the reserved cookie dough. Unfortunately, the cookie spread to not only bigger than the mini size I had in mind but it also spread thin. Bummer.

This was a cute concept but in practical reality, the size of the cookie topper makes for a very big piece. I made the dough balls pretty small but since they still spread, they should've been smaller. Or you can leave them out altogether and sprinkle the frosted top with toffee bits, nuts or chocolate chips. Or all three. Whatever it takes to fit your definition of "extreme brownies". Because I used a rich cocoa (Valrhona), the brownie layer was fudgy decadence. This is the kind of over-the-top brownies you want to cut small and let your recipients savor, rather than gorge. They'll thank you later for moderation.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Layer
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) granulated sugar
1 packed cup (8 ounces) dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dark corn syrup
2 cups (9 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 12-ounce package chocolate chips

Brownie batter
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter
1 cup (6 ounces) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup and 1 1/2 tablespoons (2.5 ounces) cake flour
1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon (2.1 ounces) Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder

Semisweet chocolate glaze
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1 10-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips

1. Chocolate chip cookie layer: using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter briefly on medium speed to soften. Gradually add the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar and salt; beat on medium speed until lighter in color and creamy, 3-4 minutes.
2. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and add the eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the vanilla and corn syrup. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.
4. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour and baking soda in a small bowl. Add to wet ingredients in 2 additions, mixing after each addition until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
5. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Remove 1 cup (9 ounces) of the cookie dough and set aside. Spread the remaining cookie dough evenly on the bottom of the foil-lined pan; smooth as much as possible with a small offset spatula. Cover and place the pan in the refrigerator to chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
7. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is nicely browned and firm. Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack. Maintain the oven temperature at 350 degrees F.
8. While the cookie base is baking, line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/4-inch scoop, form the remaining cookie dough into about 22 dough balls. Stagger them on the lined sheet pan and bake for 7 minutes, turn the pan and bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack.
9. Make the brownies: melt the butter and chocolate chips in the top half of a double boiler set over hot water, whisking until smooth and combined.
10. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Whisk sugar and salt into eggs just until incorporated. Briefly whisk the warm chocolate mixture then gradually whisk into the egg mixture until just combined. Briefly whisk in the vanilla.
11. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder. Sift into the batter and stir until just combined. Pour the batter over the cooled cookie layer and spread evenly with a small offset spatula. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes.
12. Make the glaze: in the top half of a double boiler set over hot water, combine the oil and chocolate chips. Whisk until chips have melted and mixture is smooth.
13. Pour the glaze over the brownie slab and use a small offset spatula to spread it evenly. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour then refrigerate the pan for 7 to 8 hours or overnight. Lift out of pan and cut into even squares. Garnish each square with a chocolate chip cookie.

Honey Lime Cilantro Shrimp

Honey Lime Cilantro Shrimp - made August 27, 2019 from Pretty Little Apron 

I'm going to give major props to this recipe. Only a few ingredients, simple to prepare and tastes great. Plus I love the lime-cilantro flavor combination. Oddly, I don't like honey in baking but I seem to prefer it in cooking, especially combined with other flavors like soy sauce or lime and cilantro like this recipe.

I always say I'm not a very good cook and I have a low bar for my own cooking. "Don't give yourself food poisoning" is my mantra and my low bar.

But now that I'm trying to cook a little more, I have to admit I'm enjoying it. I'm (gradually) learning that cooking doesn't have to be a big production, it doesn't have to be gourmet and I can expect a little more from myself than "didn't have to have my stomach pumped".

Granted, it's become much easier now that I work from home and can turn off my computer, take 3 steps into my kitchen and put together something like this in under 10 minutes. Another 5 to do the dishes afterwards as it doesn't make much of a mess either.

Even in my old life where I put in a 12-13 hour day, had an irritating, traffic-laden commute home and would be crabby and tired, this dish would've met my criteria and abilities to put together a quick weeknight meal that also tasted good.

 You'll notice I also added rice. Yeah, my low carbing days are over for now. This dish made it worth it.

3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
adobo and cumin to taste
1/4 cup honey
Juice and zest from 1 lime
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1. In a large skillet, melt butter and add garlic.Saute until cooked and fragrant. 
2. Add shrimp and sprinkle with salt, adobo and cumin to taste. Cook shrimp through until just no longer grey.
3. Add honey, lime and cilantro. If sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of butter. Serve warm.

Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies (Savor the Best)

Copycat Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies - made dough August 9, 2019 from Savor the Best

Yes, another Levain Bakery copycat chocolate chip cookie. Yes, another that isn't really like Levain Bakery's but still a good chocolate chip cookie recipe nonetheless. Honestly, I think I've given up on actually finding a true Levain copycat but along the way, I've collected some very good chocolate chip cookie recipes so it's still a win.

This copycat had crisp edges and it had great caramelized brown sugar flavor and a wonderful chewy texture. Levain's cookies have a crispness to the outside of the whole cookie, not just the edges and the flavor wasn't quite as brown buttery as this one was.

It stayed thick and didn't spread much, partly because, as usual, I baked it from frozen dough. Also, as usual, I made the test cookie really big so that big chunk of dough ball didn't have time to spread very much before it baked.

If you make this normal-people-size, it will still stay somewhat thick and not spread too thin, which always makes it a good chocolate chip cookie recipe in my book.

2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
2 cups bread flour (240 grams)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks), melted
2 cups brown sugar (420 grams)
1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups chocolate chips (553 grams)
1 1/2 cups toasted, chopped walnuts, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix all-purpose flour, bread flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract
4. Stir in the flour mixture by hand or on the lowest setting of the mixer until just combined; do not overmix.
5. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts with a wooden spoon. Portion the dough into 6 ounces balls. Chill or freeze for at least 30 minutes, several hours or overnight.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Evenly space the dough balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are set and middles no longer look raw. Do not overbake.

Filipino Spaghetti

Filipino Spaghetti - made September 1, 2019 from The Unlikely Baker

I'm leapfrogging this post ahead of the other dishes I made earlier as I've gotten a couple of requests for the recipe after I posted a picture on Instagram. Apparently, I'm not the only one who likes Filipino spaghetti :). If you've never had Filipino spaghetti, here are the hallmarks to look for: it's typically made not only with ground beef or ground pork but it also includes slices of hot dog. Yup, hot dogs. It's also sweeter than its Italian spaghetti counterpart and that comes with both the inclusion of banana sauce and, in the case of this recipe, granulated sugar. That might sound weird but trust me, that's what makes it Filipino spaghetti in the first place.

Some recipes call banana sauce "banana ketchup". For the longest time, I didn't even want to try making Filipino spaghetti because I didn't want to buy banana ketchup. I literally thought it was a mixture of mashed bananas and ketchup. I don't like ketchup so ewwww. But banana ketchup is not ketchup at all. It really is banana sauce but with a touch of red food dye to make it look like ketchup. Don't ask me why unless it's made just for Filipino spaghetti and red is the color of spaghetti.

Whatever the reason, you're going to want to buy banana sauce/banana ketchup for true Filipino spaghetti. I got mine from an Asian grocery store and bought the Jufran brand, which is local to the Philippines. You can also get it from amazon if you don't have an Asian grocery store nearby but be warned that amazon is more expensive. Three 12-ounce bottles were $13.11 if you have prime but one 12-ounce bottle at the Filipino grocery store I went to sells it for $1.29. Yup, quite a price difference.

Beyond that, this is a pretty straightforward recipe to put together. Brown the hot dog slices first, set aside, then, like every other recipe for Filipino food that I've seen my mom make when I was growing up, you brown the garlic first then add the onions and stir until they're softened. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe.

I was pleasantly surprised this turned out so well. Meaning, it really did taste like Filipino spaghetti! It was just sweet enough but not too sweet and had the distinct taste of Filipino spaghetti. You'll know what I mean when you try it and compare it to more traditional spaghetti sauces. And it was so easy to make I feel emboldened enough to make it for my relatives when we gather for our upcoming family reunion. The kids will like the hot dogs, which, when I was a kid, was the whole point of Filipino spaghetti.

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 pound hot dogs, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
15 ounces tomato sauce
2 ounces tomato paste
4 ounces banana sauce
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/8 cup granulated sugar
1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente
sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1. Using a large saucepan over medium heat, fry hot fogs in oil until lightly brown around the edges. Remove from pan,
2. Using the same pan, saute garlic and onion until translucent and fragrant. Stir in ground beef and cook until the beef is browned, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the hot dogs, tomato sauce, tomato paste, banana sauce, heavy cream and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Serve meat sauce on top of cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with a generous helping of cheddar cheese, if desired. Serve warm.

Lemon Coconut White Chocolate Blondies

Lemon Coconut White Chocolate Blondies - made August 24, 2019 from Extreme Brownies by Connie Weis

Now that I've moved all my baking books to another state, stored them for 6 months in a garage and unpacked them, I thought I should start using them again. Hoping to do more of that in the coming months so stay tuned. And ignore that I suspended my diet and made these for my cheat day.

I'm mixed about this blondie. It was "good" but there was a lot going on here. Perhaps too much so for my simple taste buds. I love coconut. I love lemon. And while I don't love white chocolate in the same way, most of it was in the batter itself and it didn't have a strong flavor. It was mostly there to lend to the "fudginess" of the blondie. Meaning it added to the density and moisture of the texture which I did like.

But if I were to make this again, I would keep the white chocolate melted into the batter to get the texture and leave off adding it as chips or chunks to the blondie. I don't think it needed it.

I'm also not convinced the coconut and lemon worked as well together in this recipe. At least not to me. The lemon is in the frosting while the coconut is mostly in the blondie itself. If you like the combination, you'll like this blondie. For my plebian taste buds, the lemon overwhelmed the blondie but the coconut tried to hold its own and the fight wasn't very fun. I ended up scraping off most of the lemon frosting to eat just the blondie. Which misses the point of the "extreme" brownie.

Next time, I would leave off the lemon frosting and the white chocolate chunks and make this as a coconut blondie with vanilla frosting.

Blondie Batter
1 7-ounce bag shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
6 ounces premium white baking chocolate
4 large eggs
2 cups (14 ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (11.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (3 ounces) premium white chocolate chips

Lemon Frosting
10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk (optional)
2 2/3 cups (10.7 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup (2 ounces) heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
zest of 1 large lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Garnish
2 to 3 tablespoons white chocolate Callebaut Crispearls

1. Toast the coconut: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the coconut evenly onto a half-sheet baking pan. Bake for 5 minutes then stir with a wooden spoon, bringing in the coconut from the corners into the middle and vice versa. Bake for an additional 4 minutes, repeat, turning the coconut then continue to bake in 2-minute intervals until coconut is uniformly light golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Maintain the oven at 350 degrees F.
2. Make the blondies: line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In the top half of a double boiler set over hot water, melt the butter and white chocolate, whisking together until completely melted and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Using a large whisk, lightly beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugar and salt until just incorporated. Briefly whisk the melted chocolate mixture then gradually whisk into the egg mixture until just combined. Briefly whisk in the vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Sift over the batter and stir together until just combined. Sprinkle the toasted coconut and white chocolate chips over the batter; fold in until just combined. 
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a small offset spatula. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs and top is golden. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool to room temperature.
7. Lemon frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and egg, if using, until soft and creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, beating on low until incorporated then on high until well combined. 
8. Using a microplane zester, zest the lemon directly into the bowl then add lemon juice. Beat on high until well combined and creamy.
9. Frost over cooled blondie, smoothing top with small offset spatula. Garnish with white chocolate crispearls. Refrigerate until frosting has set then cut into even squares.

Mechado (Filipino Beef Stew)

Mechado - made August 26, 2019 from Serve with Rice

I still had some beef chuck roast from the Costco pack I used to make Beef Tapa so I used it to try this Mechado recipe. Mechado is another name for Filipino beef stew. As with many dishes, there are a variety of different mechado recipes to choose from. I went with this one for its relative simplicity.

10 minutes before it's finished, add the bell peppers and fish sauce

Which meant the only vegetable I had to add was a red bell pepper. I'm not fond of bell peppers and although the recipe called for two, I only used one. No sense in wasting more than I have to and I'm not particularly fond of bell peppers anyway. I could probably have left it out altogether but I was actually trying for some authenticity so decided to compromise on one for the flavor.

I was pleasantly surprised that this turned out, more that the beef got tender like it was supposed to if you cooked it long enough. I don't always have very good luck with beef and its texture. This one worked. It used the same "trick" my mom uses when she cooks Filipino beef dishes: keep adding water to the base sauce and let it boil/simmer/cook until the meat is tender. Add water as needed to keep the sauce from drying out before the beef is the consistency you want.

As for flavor, I didn't love the bell pepper addition to the flavor of the dish itself but that's my personal preference. Otherwise, this was a good "beef stew".

2-3 pounds beef chuck roast, chopped into chunks
salt + pepper + garlic powder to taste
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1-3 cups water
2 large red bell peppers, sliced
1 tablespoon fish sauce

1. Season the beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Mix in the tomato sauce, soy sauce and lemon juice. Coat the beef well, cover and marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a dutch oven on high heat. Drain off excess marinade from the beef; reserve. Fry the beef over high heat until lightly seared on all sides. Remove to a plate or large bowl.
3. Lower the heat to medium high and drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Saute the onion until fragrant and slightly soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the beef back and toss with the onions.
4. Pour in the remaining marinade. Add enough water to cover 3/4 of the beef. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a oil. Lower to medium high heat and let simmer until beef is tender, about 45 minutes.
5. In the last 10 minutes of boiling, add the red bell pepper and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer again and continue cooking through. Once the meat is tender and the peppers are cooked, turn off heat. Serve warm with rice.

Mamon (Filipino sponge cake)

Mamon - made August 18, 2019 from Recipe ni Juan (English translation: Juan's Recipes)

My first attempt at mamon

I can only suppress my baking tendencies for so long and once I'd dropped 8 pounds, I gave myself the green light to try another baking recipe. In keeping with the Filipino cooking I've been doing, I now turn to Filipino baking.

This is what the Goldilocks Bakery mamon looks like

Mamon is a childhood favorite. I grew up mostly in the US but whenever one of my relatives visited, they always brought a bag full of mamon from Goldilocks Bakery, a popular bakery chain in the Philippines. To call mamon a sponge cake would be both accurate and inaccurate. It has the texture and fluffiness of a sponge cake. But it tastes much better than your average sponge cake, homemade or not. The closest comparison I can come to is those Sara Lee pound cakes you buy in the freezer section at the grocery store. As much as I do my own baking and have for years, I also have a soft spot for those Sara Lee pound cakes, as much from nostalgia as from the soft, fluffy texture of the cakes.The same with mamon.

I used paper liners as I didn't have mamon cake molds

Times have changed and Goldilocks bakeries are now in the United States as well as other Filipino bakeries who sell mamon. I decided to try making my own. It's made like a basic sponge cake. The yolks go into the main batter and the whites are beaten to medium peaks then folded into the batter. That, and a little bit of leavening, help create the fluffy texture.

One thing to be aware of with making this recipe. You'll see some of the tops are browned and others aren't. When they were done per the toothpick test, they were still a bit of a sickly pale color. Goldilocks mamon were evenly browned on top. I didn't want to bake them longer for fear they'd dry out so I did a quick, 1-minute broil in the oven before I took them out. A few of them browned faster than I expected so I took them out before the others browned on top as I didn't want the rest to get too dark or burn on top.

This was good in terms of taste and it had the fluffiness of a good sponge cake but alas, it isn't quite a Goldilocks copycat. The texture wasn't quite the same. It's similar to my quest for a banana cake like the one from Icing on the Cake. I can get close to the flavor but the texture remains a holy grail. Goldilocks mamon has a tighter crumb but with a soft, fluffy, cakey texture. This was soft, fluffy, cakey but the crumb had more holes in it and wasn't quite like Goldilocks. I'm glad I tried it though and, while I don't have the same penchant for mamon like I do with Icing on the Cake's banana cake, I could see trying out more mamon recipes to get closer to the Goldilocks version.

1/4 cup salted butter, melted, plus more for brushing molds and cakes
1 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup and 1/2 cup sugar
6 eggs, separated
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Generously brush paper molds with melted butter; set aside.
3. Sift cake flour, baking powder and 1/3 cup sugar together into a bowl; set aside. 
4. Combine egg yolks, water and melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at low speed until well combined. With the mixer running, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
5. In a separate bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat with the whisk attachment of the stand mixer. Beat at high speed until egg whites double in volume. With the mixer running, slowly and steadily add 1/2 cup sugar. Continue beating until medium peaks form. Medium peaks hold their shape but the tip of the peak curls back onto itself when the whisk is lifted.
6. Gently and quickly fold in the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Divide the batter evenly among the molds.
7. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the molds on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the molds and let cool completely on a wire rack.