Savta Brownies, aka the best brownies you will ever have

Cravings: some cooler weather, enough August!

Hi all,
I thought maybe I would bookend the month of August with some blog posts seeing as I went from posting once or twice a day to 0. I got some inspiration today though.

While in Alabama, I got to spend some great time with lots of Charlie's family. Uncle Jim is his mom's youngest brother, and I got especially close to his two daughters Jessica and Samantha. We even have a  picture up on our fridge right now that Samantha drew for us (she is 6 years old, despite Charlie thinking she's 2). This has led to many jokes of walking toddlers being "2 weeks old" etc. Funnier if you're there for it.

Anyway, while visiting them in Auburn one weekend back in July, I asked Jessie if she wanted to bake some brownies. She ran to get a box mix and I told her she didn't know me well enough yet. After making this batch a couple of times over a few visits (sometimes with butter and sometimes with vegetable oil), I hope Jessie will never make boxed brownies again!!

My grandma is one of the best cooks I know, and she is famous for her "oogiot savta" (grandma cookies, little hard round butter cookies with ground almonds as their base), and her decadent brownies. She used to put walnuts in them but stopped a few years ago when one of my cousin's husband disclosed he was allergic. I like them both ways.

Now the debate: My grandma eats these freezing cold. Literally - she freezes them, and lets them sit out just long enough to thaw so they don't break your teeth. I'll take my beer cold, but my brownies hot, thank you very much!


Ingredients:

-4 eggs
-2 cups sugar
-4 ounces butter
-4 tbs cocoa powder
-1 cup flour
-2 tsp vanilla
-1 tsp instant coffee
- tbs liquer (originally the recipe called for brandy but in auburn alabama at 9 pm we only found some baileys - it worked)

Jessie really wanted to crack the eggs separately (which is a smart thing to do to ensure no shell gets in the batter).


Directions.
1. Melt your butter and cocoa together in the microwave

2. Measure your sugar and eggs and put in a stand mixer (hand mixer would work find too)

Beat sugar and eggs together and add in the butter/cocoa mixture:

3. Add in the baileys, vanilla, and coffee - mix until combined.

4. Slowly add the flour in and mix until combined.
5. Pour into a baking dish, and let settle for about 10 minutes before baking.
6. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Let cool (if you can resist), cut them into squares, and enjoy.

The brownies come out fudgy, almost as if they are slightly under-cooked.


Yummmmmm. I want some now.

By the way, after you make them, refrigerate in an airtight container, and they last for a really long time. You can freeze them as well, but unlike my grandma, I recommend you nuke them before eating them from the freezer.

Reverse chocolate chip cookies

I was taking a bit of a blog hiatus just because I've been wedding planning and taking care of lots of odds and ends at the house with Charlie (who came back less than a week ago and already accomplished so much, hurrah!).

I made these cookies last night and HAD to post. I suspect I'll have about 32 posts in 3 days because I have all these back logs of pictures to upload. And stories too.

Since I made my grandma's brownies (I will post the recipe soon and you will never be able to eat a different brownie again without pouting)...well since making my grandmas brownies, I've been enjoying the thought of using cocoa powder in everything (chill anyone?). Why not my "OMG cookies" with some chocolate in the dough?


(sidenote, I made a regular batch as well and they just didn't turn out right for some reason. I think maybe the dough didn't cool enough. I guess even I can screw up my own cookie sometime!)

I had a bag of white chocolate chips in the pantry (note to self, buy more of these to have around). I thought it would be better to have white chocolate chips in the chocolate cookie. The result was AMAZING. Charlie had 4, and he's been doing so good with being healthy. Whoops!

Recipe (modified from original omg cookie)
Ingredients:
-2 sticks of room temp butter (or just melt it in the microwave if you're in a rush)
-1 1/4 cups brown sugar
-1/4 cup white sugar
-5 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder (I buy the Hersheys brand)
-1 egg and 1 yolk
-2 tbs milk
-1/2 tbs vanilla
-1 tsp kosher salt
-1 tsp baking soda
-2 1/4 cups of bread flour (remember, bread flour! important)
-2 cups (about one package) of white chocolate chips (I used nestle tollhouse but store brand would work too)

Directions:
1. Put the butter, brown and white sugar, and cocoa in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer to mix together.
2. Add in the egg and yolk, vanilla, and milk, and mix to combine.
3. Add the salt, soda, and flour, one cup at a time, combining between each cup of flour.
4. Add the white chocolate chips and use a spatula or spoon to mix the batter together.
5. Refrigerate for at least one hour, but more would be better. Use a 1.5 ounce scoop (3 tbs), to scoop out the batter on to cookie trays, and bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Let them cool just long enough to not burn your tongue, and watch as your fiancé eats four.

Honey-Soy-Sesame Chicken

Cravings: the best crockpot chicken recipe I know

While at my sister in law's I got the chance to do some cooking! Unfortunately everything got put into tupperware and eaten up before I snapped a picture of the finished result. But trust me, it's DELICIOUS.

I made this for Charlie a few months ago and he constantly requests it.

Ingredients:

-nonstick spray (not pictured)
-4 (or more) boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, fat trimmed
-1/2 cup of honey
-1/2 cup of soy sauce
-1 small onion, or 1/2 large onion, diced
-1/2 tbs minced garlic
-1/4 cup of ketchup
-tsp (or more) of cajun seasoning, or red pepper flakes
-1 tbs vegetable or canola oil
-2 tbs sesame seeds
*I accidentally had corn starch in this image, whoops!*


Directions:
1. Spray the crock pot with non stick spray. Put your chicken in the crock pot. I am a firm, firm believer in always salting your chicken. Except for this in this recipe. There really is no need with all the soy sauce, and the fact that it will sit in this sauce for 6 hours.
2. Mix all the rest of the ingredients (excluding corn starch!), in a medium mixing bowl. Pour over chicken breast.
3. Cover and let cook on low for 5-6 hours.

That's it! It's ready. Go eat it.


It can cook for 8 hours if you want to put it on before work or before going to bed, but it's ready after 5-6. Some people say you can cook it on high for 3-4 hours, and you can, but I don't think it comes out as good. If you do not have a crock pot, put it in a dutch oven at 200 degrees for 6 hours.

4th of July and Lake Martin

Craving: A relaxing, fun, and family filled LAKE!

On July 3rd Charlie and I drove to Lake Martin, which is really close to Auburn. Charlie's grandaddy was a professor there and had a lake house that the family would go to all the time. Uncle Will and his family are now in possession of the house and very warmly invited us to come and join them for a few days. They were even more generous in inviting my mom, sister, and her boyfriend!

Unfortunately, Charlie forgot to check in with Uncle Will and didn't realize they'd be coming on the 4th. Luckily, a bunch of people from Charlie's flight were driving up per his recommendation, and staying at the Creekside Lodge (recommend this place if you are going to Lake Martin!), so we got a room. On The morning of the 4th we woke up and went over to the lake house. We tried to have our picture snapped (excuse the shiny skin, I had just sunscreened myself). Of course Charlie ruined the picture:


So I ruined one back:


The lake house was everything Charlie described it to be and I'm so glad I got to experience it with him since so many of his best memories were spent there.

Uncle Will and his family arrived (with their dog Max!), and Uncle Jim and his family came shortly after. I had such a great time interacting with my "aunts", hanging out with the teenagers, and playing with the youngest.

Here is Emily (just turned 16) swimming with Max


Hi Max! Don't shake on me!


Sideview from the dock:


The lake while everyone was at lunch (which is why you can't see everybody on floats in there!)


We needed a bit of a break from the heat so a scrabble game was started:


Of course my mom won.

Here's Aunt Jackie in the kitchen:


Uncle Will overheard Charlie on the phone with the guys in his flight and invited them to swim off of their dock.


Hello!


I love this view through the trees and bushes:


A view of the dock from a chair swing: 

View of the house from the dock:


When it was time for fireworks I ran inside. I don't like small fireworks, they terrify me. I don't like the banging sound, and don't think the small bit of visual stimulation is worth it. Professional fireworks though, count me in.

Samantha, Uncle Jim and Aunt Jill's 6 year old, stayed inside with me. I definitely shrieked at one point and ran further into the house at the sound of an unexpected firework, and Sam very happily followed me. This girl is precious. First of all, she kept jumping off the second story boat house all day! Fearless! We hung out during the fireworks and played some games with Max:




Max stayed in his bed we made for him the whole night. Definitely got a bit of nostalgia for my bubbas.

The next day Charlie stayed inside and did schoolwork and SOS work while his sunburn healed, and I read outside a bit to get a bit of a tan. Before we left, I thought it would be nice to take some pictures by the lake since it's so meaningful to Charlie. Uncle Will was a champ and after we each had a beer, we went at it! I love how these turned out, and I had a lot of fun editing them. I will have another post for the engagement pics, with some recommendations for taking good pictures!

Thank you Uncle Will for not only taking such great pictures but for giving us a great few days at the Lake - we will have those memories forever!

Peanut-Teriyaki Green Beans

Craving: A twist on regular green beans!

This recipe is yummy and can be made with fresh, frozen, or canned green beans (although I really recommend fresh or frozen).

You can add spice to it with some sriracha or your favorite heat-provider (cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, etc). I eliminated this because someone I was eating with did not eat spicy food.

Ingredients (approximations, I never measure exactly when cooking)


1 pound fresh or frozen green beans
2 tbs creamy peanut butter (low fat okay)
2 cups teriyaki sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tbs sesame seeds (black or white or combination)
1 tsp powdered ginger
1 tsp minced garlic (I forgot to photograph this)
sriracha to your taste
1 tbs sesame oil to top
peanuts to top (optional)

Directions:
1. Steam or boil your green beans. (Steaming is better from a nutritional standpoint).
**Tip**: You can put them in a microwavable dish and seal with plastic wrap to "steam" the beans. This retains more nutrients than boiling.
Drain your beans and rinse with cold water to shock them.


2. Spoon peanut butter into a bowl and stir in the teriyaki sauce and water. Add the rest of the ingredients except sesame oil and peanuts. Stir together.


3. Put the beans in a pot and cover with the sauce, cook on medium-high for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and sticks to the beans.

4. Top with sesame oil and peanuts and stir together. Serve and enjoy!

I made this recipe up and we had some extra sauce to green bean ratio when I made it, so adjusted it for this recipe. However, the extra sauce would have been really good with rice or noodles, or even to marinade chicken!