Technical Difficulties

Well, it turns out that I've run out of storage on google...  I'll try to fix this as soon as possible but I may not be able to post until after the day the worlds ends! xD

If that's true, then best of luck to you on surviving 2012 and BUY LOTS OF TWINKIES!!

-JJ

Long Time No Post!

HOLY CROW I HAVEN'T POSTED IN A MONTH!!!

I've been so busy, but I promise to now post once a week from here on out.  I've still been baking, still been taking pictures, but just not blogging.  NO MORE SLACKING.

I'll be back next week, don't worry - with a recipe!

Lol, I just realized this is my 100th post.  Sorry it's such a bummer! xD 200 will be much more fantabulous!

-JJ

Candy Bar Brownies

Sorry for the long delay - I've been bogged down by such a busy schedule. -.-

But now I'm back, and with candy bar brownies!  I've made these once before, using Joanne Fluke's recipe, but I didn't find the brownie taste quite to my liking.  I'm not sure how well my best brownie recipe would work with these, because then they'd be soooo insanely rich, but you could try it!

Here's the very non-specific recipe:

Candy Bar Brownies

1 family size (9x13) brownie mix

all the ingredients that the mix calls for

enough candy bars (any kind) to cover a 9x9 pan

1. Preheat oven as directed by the box and grease a 9x9 pan.
2. Prepare your brownie mix as directed.
3. Spread half of the mix into your prepared pan.
4. Layer your candy bars over the top of the brownie layer.
5. Spread the remaining batter on top.
6. Bake for about 60 minutes.  It depends on your oven, so keep checking the brownies to see if they're done.
7. Let cool on a wire rack until only slightly warm before you cut the brownies.  Do NOT cut warm.  Makes about 16 brownies.

So, as you can see, it took about this many (21 singles) Kit-Kats to cover my pan.  The original recipe is doubled, so that it makes a 9x13 pan.

You can use any brownie recipe you like - but the box mix is sure to work.  It really depends on the taste you want - and you rich you want these brownies to be!  And if you use Kit-Kats like I did, don't be surprised when there's solid, crunchy Kit-Kat in there.  If you use solid milk chocolate, for example, it'll just be like a more fudgy brownie.

I don't recommend using Snickers or Milky Ways or any other thick candy bar, though - try to keep your candy flat.  I do recommend making these, however!

Enjoy!
-JJ

Simply Chocolate Chip

Appreciation for the simple chocolate chip cookie.

Or at least the dough.

I made Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies - but with milk chocolate morsels instead of semisweet.  Still like semisweet better, but it's nice to know that the milk chocolate morsels work too!

But seriously, these are the best chocolate chip cookies ever.  So delish.

And that's it for my post today.  Wow, I'm slacking off, aren't I? XD I promise I'll get more detailed later.  Because, my darlings, it's almost Halloween!

I bet you can't guess what my costume is!
-JJ

Cinnamon Muffins

Behold, my second creation upon entering the world of self-rising flour!

The only other time I used self-rising flour was when I made my birthday cake.  And now that I have all this self-rising flour laying around, I might as well do something with it, right?

So naturally, I looked up the nummiest and simplest recipe I could find for self-rising flour and here it is: cinnamon muffins!  I'm sure it's called something else on the Betty Crocker website, but in the meantime, I'm just going to call them plain ol' cinnamon muffins.

But first, a debate I just thought of.  Yes, it is related to muffins.

The question is: wrappers or no wrappers?

My personal choice is no wrappers.  Muffins have that heavy-duty feel to them, and wrappers just make them look flimsy and sweet.  A real muffin has sugar in it, true, but it's not so obvious as a cupcake.  Cupcakes need wrappers, or else they're a mess.  Muffins can stand alone, therefore proving that they are far superior to cupcakes.  See my full rant here.  It's not very long, don't worry.

So there you have it.  If you have a personal opinion, O Wandering Internet Foodie, then I'd love to hear from you in the comment section at the bottom of this post!

Now, breakfast!

Cinnamon Muffins
REQUIRES COOLED MELTED BUTTER

Muffins:
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted, cooled
1 egg
Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 stick butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Grease bottoms of 12-count muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon with a fork.
3. In a small bowl, blend milk, melted butter, and egg.  Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  The batter should be slightly lumpy.
4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, each cup about 2/3 full.
5. Bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.  Melt 1/2 stick butter and place in small bowl.
7. Remove muffins from cups and dip into melted butter.  Dip again into cinnamon-sugar mixture and set on serving plate.  Serve warm.  Makes 12 muffins.

Breaking it down:
Combine your dry ingredients...

Add to your wet ingredients...

Scoop into greased muffin cups...

Bake about 15 minutes...

Make your cinnamon sugar mixture...

Then dip your muffins into butter and dunk in the cinnamon sugar!  I'd make a little extra cinnamon sugar just in case... I coated my muffins pretty liberally with the butter and sugar and only got 9 of them done.  What's wrong with extra cinnamon sugar, anyway?  Just butter some toast and sprinkle it on, and you've got a delicious breakfast!

Aren't they scrumptious-looking?  I can assure you, they are scrumptious-tasting, also! :D
-JJ

Brownies - and White Chocolate!

A perfect combination of two of my top favorite things: white chocolate and brownies.  Wut.  And they are very delicious.

STORYTIME!!!

I made these for a very special occasion - watching Doctor Who with my friends! :D If you are not a so-called Whovian yet, then you really oughta be.

Because this guy right here...

...is Matt Smith and he's adorable.  Bow ties are very cool.

So, Season 7 of the new series (because DW goes back a looong time, back to 1963) just premiered, well, a while ago, but I'm behind because unfortunately I don't have BBC America at my disposal.

That's right, this is a British sci-fi show.  And it's awesome.

So, these brownies hold memories for me.  Memories of dinosaurs on spaceships and hilarious little quips and the Doctor's (ex-)companions, Amy and Rory.  Ahhh, the good old days.

Now, the good nummy brownies!  Owe this recipe - mostly - to Nestle at Very Best Baking!  I did make a few changes though... ;)

White Chip Brownies
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large eggs
2 cups/12-oz. package white chocolate chips, divided

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt with a fork.
3. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Gradually add the dry ingredients.
4. Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips and spread into prepared pan.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly sticky.  Cool on a wire rack.
6. In a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, melted remaining cup of white chocolate chips, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula.  Once completely melted, spread on cooled brownies, covering the entire surface.
7. Refrigerate 5 minutes and cut into squares.  Store room temperature, covered with plastic wrap.  Makes 9-16 brownies.

So, yes, I changed the white chocolate part at the end - but you know what?  My version is easier and better.  So there.

Breaking it down:
Combine dry ingredients...

Then combine sugar, melted butter, and vanilla...

Add eggs...

Stir in the dry ingredients...

To make a beautiful brownie batter!

Stir in those white chocolate chips...

Then bake and coat with white chocolate!  They are absolutely delicious - all fudgy and white chocolatey and just beautiful inside your mouth.

My mouth is watering!
-JJ

Look Up: Chicago Style!

I took these pictures way back when at the Chicago Air and Water Show!

Just look up!