There is something about the cold weather that makes me want to bake. Maybe it's being near an oven to keep warm. Maybe it's because I love sweets. Maybe it's because baking sweets is a good excuse to invite people over and share the baked-good-love. Or, maybe it's a combination of those reasons.
I have always enjoyed baking. I love sweets and a reason to eat sweets. Valentine's Day is a perfect reason to bake treats, invite people over, and share.
I made this Valentine's Day inspired dessert tray with two simple recipes and store-bought chocolate covered pretzels. I made ginger cookies and double chocolate brownies.
These double chocolate brownies could also be called boyfriend brownies because you could make them to get a boy who's a friend to become your boyfriend (hahahaha! just joking.). Do you know the old saying that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach? These brownies may qualify for that statement. But, these really are super simple brownies; they are a great, easy recipe for a beginning baker. They are simply jazzed up boxed brownie mix.
Double Chocolate Brownies
1 box fudge brownie mix
oil
eggs
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Nonstick cooking spray
Follow the recipe on the brownie box and add the recommended amount of oil and egg. Mix well. Spray 8 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add brownie batter. Top with chocolate chips. Bake according to the box. This recipe is so easy I don't even know if it qualifies as a "recipe."
Enjoy! Happy (early) Valentine's Day!
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So, one of my New Year's goals is to try 50 new recipes in 2015. I started the New Year with lots of veggies in a vegetable soup. My second recipe is a little sweeter. I love sweets, and I believe they can be incorporated into one's diets in moderation.
I have never made ginger bread or ginger cookies. Can you believe that?!? I have used ginger in savory, Asian cooking but never in baking. I realized this travesty over the holidays when everyone was posting pictures of ginger bread houses and decorated gingerbread men cookies. I decided to try this recipe that uses powdered ginger and crystallized ginger. It was delicious! The cookies were moist, chewy, and packed a punch of spicy, sweet ginger.
This was my first time to cook with molasses as well. It was less sweet then I thought it would be but it was fantastic in the cookies. And, I got a chance to use my SilPlat non-stick cooking mat! It worked like a dream with this sticky dough.
Here's the recipe if you would like to give it a try.
Ginger Cookies (Adapted from Giada's Double Ginger Cookies)
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger (or ~1 ounce)
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup molasses
1 egg at room temperature
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350* F.
Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl: flour, sugar, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and candied ginger.
Combine wet ingredients in a mixer: melted butter, molasses, and egg. Beat together until combine. Slowly add dry ingredients into wet mixture. Use a medium-sized cookie Schoo to scoop 1 1/2 Tablespoon of dough onto a buttered baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with a non-stick mat (Example: SilPlat). Bake at 350* F for 7-9 minutes.
Tip #1: Spray your 1/3 measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray before measuring molasses. The non-stick spray . . . helps the molasses not stick to the spoon. It makes measuring sticky ingredients less messy.
Tip #2: Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop cookie dough. This makes it easier to get similarly sized cookies that cook evenly.
Tip #3: I recommend making a batch of these cookies and freezing the dough in 2 batches. This helps with self-control and only having desserts in moderation. It also is handy to have dough already made for company or just quick cooking.
Tip #4: I defrost frozen cookie dough for 1 day in the fridge before baking.
This recipe was adapted from a Giada DeLaurentiis' recipe for double ginger cookies. I hope you enjoy! Please let me know if there are any ingredients or dishes you want me to try in the new feature #NewYearNewRecipes #NYNR #50RDrecipes.
For more recipes and tips and tricks for healthy eating, follow RDtipoftheday on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
