Blondie brownies for summer

This started with a surprisingly good blizzard at Dairy Queen.  The blizzard for May was a Caramel Blondie Brownie Pecan Blizzard, something like that.  I tried it on a whim and then started telling everyone to go get one.  I went back for another a few weeks later and even though it was still May the blizzard was gone.  I said "What, it is still May!".  The worker was apologetic, but firm, the blizzard was really gone.  They didn't even have the stuff to make it anymore, or so he said.

So I had blondies on my mind.  Cook's Illustrated had a great recipe featured in another blog, so I decided to give it a try.  I figured that the best blondie is chewy, sweet, and chunks of white chocolate.  This recipe fit the bill.  I left out the nuts, but 4oz of toasted pecans or walnuts might be nice.  And these are so easy.  Much faster even than chocolate chip cookies, just spread the dough in a pan and you are done.  These are going to be my summer go to picnic dessert.

Blondie Brownies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)
• 1teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2teaspoon table salt
• 12tablespoons unsalted butter ( 1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled
• 1 1/2cups packed light brown sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
• 2large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6ounces white chocolate chips (1 cup) or chopped bar, or 3 ounces each white chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips
  
  
  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees.   Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray.
   2. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside.
   3. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together in medium bowl until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Using rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate and nuts and turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula.
   4. Bake until top is shiny, cracked, and light golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes; do not overbake. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove bars from pan by lifting foil overhang and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

   And lest you think I am only a dessert maker, just a few photos of the rest of that summer (almost) night's meal.

   

   You know how even if you marinade your raw chicken breasts for hours it all just drips off and you can't taste it?  That is how it works for me anyway.  So I learned this tip.  Wait until the chicken breasts are basically done, then dip them in the marinade, grill for another minute or two, and then dip one more time before serving.  I could actually taste the lemon and garlic this time!  Plus, the marinade isn't contaminated, so I used it to flavor the roasted broccoli and orzo with feta and pine nuts.

   
   

   

   
   

   The weekly menu 

   Monday and Tuesday:  Those pork lettuce wraps again, this time I tripled the quick pickled vegetables and there were still no left overs

   Wednesday:  BLT's, this is a blast from the past.  My mom used to make these for us when I was a kid.  The cool mayo, tomato, iceburg lettuce with salty bacon!  Served with lots of fruit.

   Thursday:  Lemon garlic grilled chicken breasts with blondies for dessert

   Friday:  Ritz crusted cod with roasted cumin cauliflower

Coconut cupcakes with coconut cream cheese frosting and white chocolate curls

Coconut oil seems to be the popular thing right now.  Put it in your baked goods or rub it on your legs! Pretty much works for anything.  I didn't really want to smell like a tropical drink, so decided to try it in my baked goods.  I found lots of vegan recipes with coconut oil.  It was used in place of butter or shortening in recipes.  To keep things simple I wanted to use a boxed cake mix and make my own frosting, so I used the coconut oil in both.

I have been meaning to make a coconut cake for months.  First it was going to be my Easter cake with some toasted coconut on top and a few jelly bean "eggs" in the "nest".  But Easter came and went.  The next event was the school picnic, so hoping kids appreciate the subtle flavor of coconut.

My first thought was how to replace the oil in the cake mix and then how to replace the butter in the cream cheese frosting.  Turns out it is pretty easy.  Just 1:1 and you get to choose weather to use it in solid or liquid form.  It melts at 76 degrees, so even depending on the day you might open the jar and find liquid or solid oil.  Today it was solid.  So to replace the vegetable oil I just microwaved it for a few seconds at a time until liquid and then followed the directions on the box.  For the frosting I just whipped it right in.

Coconut cream cheese frosting

1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil at room temperature (solid)
8 ounces of softened cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment beat the coconut oil to smooth it out.  Beat in the cream cheese on low increasing to medium speed until smooth.  Slowly add the powdered sugar.  You may want a little more or less depending on consistency.  Add the vanilla.  Slowly increase speed to high and beat until fluffy.

It seemed to be calling out for some garnish on top.  I nixed the toasted coconut for white chocolate shavings.  I just used a vegetable peeler to make curls of white chocolate from a baking bar.

The week's menu

Sunday:  It is mother's day so I am hoping for a mimosa at brunch and maybe just some baked roll up sandwiches for supper.

Monday:  Gorditas with lettuce and guacamole

Tuesday:  Panini of the week!  Prosciutto and mozzarella with arugula

Wednesday:  Gorgonzola pasta with wilted spinach and tomato

Thursday:  Grilled lemon chicken with broccoli and orzo

Friday:  Salmon and roasted vegetables