When it is almost 1 billion degrees outside… the last thing you really wish to do is turn on the oven, right? I am starting to have baking withdrawal but I just can’t turn on the oven, AKA wall furnace. So I turned to no-bake treats… specifically these because they involve peanut butter, marshmallows, chocolate chips, and the refrigerator. And since they are rice crispy treats they are gluten-free!!! HERE is the recipe.
I signed up to walk 39 miles in Boston next May!!! I’m so excited! For more information visit my personal race page: Alison Anderson: 1000 Miles
Maybe, rather, I should be call these “bits and pieces brownies”. Or “clean out your pantry brownies”. I needed some brownies and I had nothing in my pantry!!! I had about 1/4 cup of toffee bits and 1/3 cup of chocolate chips so I made the batter (below) and tossed the toffee and chips on the top before I put the pan in the oven. It worked out great though!!!
Brownies
1/2 cup bread flour whisked
1/4 cup cake flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup salted butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 square pan. Make a foil sling, place it in the pan, and spray it with cooking spray as well. In a glass bowl on a pot of water (double boiler) heat the coconut oil, butter, and the cocoa powder until melted and combined. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar. Add vanilla and stir until combined. Add eggs one at a time and store until just combined after each one. Add flour, salt, and baking soda and stir until just combined. No need to press them in- the batter will rise up around them. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out without batter on it (meaning crumbs are ok).
OK so heres the deal… these do only take a few minutes to throw together. Cinnamon chips, however, are really difficult to work with. Really difficult. Aside from that its no different than making some regular puppy chow. And it IS pretty tasty! Its super sweet which makes it great for party food where people will only pick up a few pieces. HERE is the recipe.
For some completely unknown reason my hand reached out and flipped the knob on the Southern Style (my mixer) to high right after I put the flour in. My dog was even laughing at me.
I have been on a bar-making kick lately. Brownies, rice crispy treats, cookie bars… you name it, I’ll make it. This day is no different. AND THESE ARE GOOD!!! Really though, snickerdoodles are so labor intensive with the rolling and chilling and whatnot. These took less than 10 minutes to throw together and just 25 minutes to bake. They are the consistency of a brownie with a warm buttery snickerdoodle taste. They are so delicious. I am filing this away for this Christmas for sure. HERE is the recipe.
After a rough week, I felt I needed a drink… Except I have had 3 drinks this calendar year… thus fulfilling my quota. I also felt I needed a hug, maybe in the form of a chocolate chip cookie? I have been wanting to try Smitten Kitchens basic blondie recipe and I decided to spike it up a bit. Yum. I added 1/4 cup whiskey to the batter after the egg and vanilla. I also added an extra tablespoon of flour to the cup of flour I had already measured. Then chocolate chips stirred in at the end. They are so good. For about an hour the house smelled like liquor which was different for us.. but they were so good! The dark chocolate and the tangy batter worked so well together. They did not taste like straight whisky. Try them! HERE is the recipe!
I was starting some brownies the other day and I ran out of my favorite cocoa powder and had to finish with my back up. Apparently not all cocoa powder is equal!!! The darker is Valrhona, which is my favorite. The lighter is Scharffenberger, which is a good quality chocolate so I was surprised to see how drastic the difference was between the two.
These gluten free brownies are actually my favorite all around brownies. I make them to take to places even when I don’t need gluten free. They are perfect because brownies are supposed to be chewy and fudgy and taking the gluten out just makes them more so!
Gluten Free Caramel Chocolate Chip Brownies
3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
5 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder (if I believed in puffy hearts, I would puffy heart Valhrona)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup refined coconut oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (optional)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup caramel bits
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 square pan. Make a foil sling, place it in the pan, and spray it with cooking spray as well. In a glass bowl on a pot of water (double boiler) heat the coconut oil and the cocoa powder until melted and combined. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar. Add vanilla and stir until combined. Add eggs one at a time and store until just combined after each one. Add flour, salt, and baking soda and stir until just combined. At this point add the vegetable oil in the mixture doesn’t seem like it will easily spread to the corners of the the pan. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips and caramel bits. No need to press them in- the batter will rise up around them. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out without batter on it (meaning crumbs are ok).
Have you heard of Foodie Pen Pals? I love this program. Every month is something totally different! Basically every month you are a pen pal to 2 people. You are the sender to one and the receiver to another. You email back and forth and then send each other a gift box of snacks. I told my pen pal this month to just send whatever and I think this is the best box I have gotten yet 
I had to take several pictures this month because I wanted to show everything! Check it out:
I have yet to try the black sesame treats… I’m probably going to bust into them this week at work. Rest assured, those chocolate chip granola bars are gone though!
What? I am going to save this chipotle sauce to dump over cream cheese with crackers the next time I need a last minute party treat I love that kind of stuff! I haven’t tried basil oil before, but I love this company and I’m excited to started using this!
Snacks! I love snacks! She made me spicy granola! It makes a great afternoon snack!!
Thank you Carrie!!! This was great! Check out Carries box HERE!
