Austin sunsets, you never fail me

Banana Brownies

It all started with a little banana. I don't really eat bananas much, especially since I went to India and ate real bananas. They just don't taste good here. Plus, there's a lot I don't agree with in the banana industry. But somehow, one day a couple weeks ago I decided it would be a good idea to take one from the dining hall. After all, smoothies taste so much better with bananas. But, alas, this poor little banana got forgotten on my counter. So tonight, I decided to do something about that. Naturally, my mind went straight to banana bread, but I don't have a bread pan (still - how have I survived??).  So of course I went straight to brownies. They were good, and completely satisfied my chocolate cravings, but definitely tasted "healthy." Here's the recipe I (very) loosely based mine off of, if you want actual brownies instead of brownies you can pretend are good for you.

and here's mine:

Banana Brownies

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or butter, softened)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 banana, mashed
• ~1/4 cup pumpkin puree (depending on how big the banana is)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (I added unsweetened coconut instead since I ate the last of my chocolate chips plain earlier today - oops)
• I also added a couple scoops of this chocolate flavored green 'superfood' powder I have, since I don't really like it on its own.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine flours, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

Beat oil and sugar. Add mashed banana, pumpkin, and vanilla. Beat until combined.

Add flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips, or whatever add-ins you desire.  My badder was a little dry, so I added a few tablespoons of vanilla soymilk.

Press into a lightly greased 8x8 baking pan.  It probably won't fill the whole pan, but it stays together so just spread it about 1 1/2 inches thick. A bread pan would also be about the right size (but then you might as well just make banana bread).

Bake for about 12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out semi-clean. Cool before cutting into 8 pieces. Enjoy!

Molasses Oatmeal Bread

I've conveniently forgotten about this blog for a long time!
At my school, everyone has to be on a meal plan for 3 years. But since I'm a senior, I'm off the meal plan. So hopefully, that means I 'll have more recipes to share on this blog!

Classes don't actually start until tomorrow, but I've been back for a week.  A couple days ago, I was pretty bored so instead of working on job applications (don't remind me...) I decided to make some bread. My mom used to make this at home sometimes, and it's one of my favorites! I actually don't have a bread pan, so I just formed it in an oval before letting it rise the second time.

Molasses Oatmeal Bread

2 pkgs dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water
2 c. rolled oats
2T shortening
2 c. boiling water
1/4 c. molasses
4 t. salt
5 1/2-6 c. flour

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 c. warm water, set aside.  In a large bowl place oats & shortening and pour in boiling water;stir.  When lukewarm, stir in dissolved yeast and molasses.  Stir in enough flour to make dough firm.  Knead on a floured surface 5-8 minutes.  Place in greased bowl turning to grease top.  Cover, let rise about 1 hour.

Punch down dough, divide into 2 parts. Shape into rectangles.  Place in greased 9x5 bread pans, cover.  Let rise in warm place about 1 hour.  Optional: brush tops with one eggwhite that has been mixed with 1 t. water.  Sprinkle with 2 T oats. Bake at 400 F for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from pans and cool.

It's really good with honey! But I also broiled some chipotle cheddar cheese on top of a slice, and that was good too. Enjoy!

Cookies!!!

I have no creative name for this post. I've sort of kind of forgotten about this blog for a few weeks. It's been hectic. Last week, I pulled my first real all-nighter in college.  I've come close before, but this time I did it. Between 2 papers in a less than 2 days (plus classes and everything), I spent 17 hours writing.  I've stayed up all night before, but the whole using my brain thing made a big difference for me.  I was a little delirious, and then I got a big rush of energy and felt really jittery, even without caffeine! I hadn't really eaten either. I felt a little crazy!!

Enough about how I may or may not be mentally unstable. I haven't been posting recipes, so I'm just going to show you the last one I made, this past Friday.  I wasn't really sure what ingredients we had, since I forgot to check (of course). I was hoping someone had bought oats, because we were out before! I decided to go with basic oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. These are the only chocolate chip cookies that ever get made in my house - do not even think about making cookies without oats around my mother!

I didn't ask her for the recipe we always use, but I found a similar one. And then, I was we still had lots of carrots and a few apples.  One of my favorite restaurants in Heidelberg, Cafe Rossi, used to make apple carrot and ginger juice. It was our favorite thing to sip on in the summer.  And then, lo and behold, I looked in the butter dish and there was fresh ginger!! I made a double batch of the cookies and made half regualr chocolate chip and half apple carrot ginger.
I doubled the recipe, and it made A LOT. So I froze the chocolate chip cookies for next week.

chocolate chip dough

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips - I didn't measure the grated apples and carrots I used, but it was about 2 cups. I also added about 1T grated fresh ginger and 1t cinnamon. We didn't have any ground ginger or I would have added some for more flavor!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl cream shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add eggs and mix thoroughly.
3. Combine the baking soda, salt and flour and stir into creamed mixture
4. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips and stir until well blended.
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

carrot dough

The chocolate chip cookies turned out a lot flatter than the carrot ones - I think the extra moisture made a difference. They also baked weird, but I think that was just the pans and oven I was using.  Everyone loved the carrot cookies, so hopefully the other ones will be as good!

Triple (Chocolate) Threat

The Friday before spring break, I made triple chocolate cookies that were so good! It was perfect for an intense chocolate craving like the one I was having. Heck, like the one I have every day! I honestly cannot remember which recipe I used, but this one comes close.

Ingredients:

• 2-1/4 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup Dutch process cocoa or unsweetened baking cocoa

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 large eggs

• 6 ounces white chocolate bar, chopped 1/2 inch pieces (or 1 cup chips)

• 6 ounces dark chocolate bar, chopped 1/2 inch pieces (or 1 cup chips)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease (spray and wipe off) or line baking sheet with parchment paper or baking mat. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt and cocoa with a wire whisk. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Stir in vanilla. Add eggs one-at-a-time. Combine completely. While mixing add flour mixture 1/2 cup or so at a time. Hand stir-in chopped chocolates. Drop by tablespoonsful onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks for cooling completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

For bar cookies: Lightly grease 9x13 pan. Spread dough into pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

St. Patty's Day

Sorry I've been MIA for a while! St. Patrick's Day seemed like a good day to get back to bloggin'.  While the rest of campus is pretending it's a weekend I'm in my room suffering from intense stomach pain and finishing homework. I know you want to hear about my personal discomforts!

Anyways, here's a sneak peek at what I did for Spring Break! I, of course, forgot my camera (ever since it broke in India I seem to have forgotten I even own a camera!), but my friend took is an awesome photographer.  I met some awesome people on this trip and it was definitely more fun and relaxing than the typical college spring break in Florida (or SC this year) that I've done with the track team the past 2 years - not that they aren't awesome too. And I didn't have to spend 24 hours on a bus! More pictures to come later

dogsledding!

I also made Irish soda bread on Tuesday for the co-op in honor of St. Patrick's Day. It turned out really well, even though I forgot to add salt (whoops!). It was also the first day it was warm enough for us to eat outside!  This is a recipe from my mom's collection:

6 c. flour
1 T baking powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
2 t. salt
4 t. sugar
2 1/2 c. buttermilk
2 T butter
1 1/2 c. raisins - I used a mix of golden and regular. And I made a small walnut loaf, since I knew some people didn't like raisins. I wasn't sure if the flavors would mix well, not the non-raisin-eaters said it was good!

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.  Set aside.  Combine buttermilk, butter, and raisins; add to flour mixture, stirring until moistened (don't overstir).  Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth - about 5 minutes. Place on greased cookie sheet and press evenly into a 1 1/2 inch thick circle.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour or until bread sounds hollow when tapped.  Cool 5 minutes.  Cut into wedges.

source

It was sooo good!

Days 27 and 30!!!

day 27. a photo of last summer

visiting my grandma in Canton, NY

I'm skipping 29. Cuz I want to
day 30. a photo of you when you were happy

I love to ski. Have I mentioned that?