Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins

September 21, 2015 in Recipes

I’m trying to think of anything other than the weather to write about, but I just can’t help myself. The weather was GORGEOUS this weekend. 70’s. sunny. slightly windy. Saturday I went to a leisurely 3 hour boozy brunch with my favorite group of girls—(unlimited mimosas for $8!!!!!). Then mostly walked around and explored the city the rest of the weekend. Sunday was literally one of the best and most funnest days ever. After church, Kyle and I stumbled into a huge street fair on Columbus Ave on the Upper West side. We bought local maple syrup, a couple of necklaces (those were for me, ha), and browsed a ton of antiques in the prettiest weather ever. We then lazed around in Central Park for a good while dog-watching and it’s moments like these that I love love love New York.

These double chocolate chip muffins with peanut butter glaze were so much fun to make. I loved dipping the muffins in the glaze, and you can either eat them immediately or allow the glaze to slightly harden. The first time I made them I was a little unimpressed and thought they were a bit too flour-y, but with a slight tweak I now think they are a perfect option for a peanut butter and chocolate craving. Also, mad props to my wonderful husband who also enjoys baking, and hand-modeled for me for the first image. Thanks, peeta mellark!

Double Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Muffins (makes approx. 24 mini muffis)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground coffee
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

for the glaze:

2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium sized bowl. In large bowl mix together, eggs, butter, milk, vanilla, and ground coffee. Beat for 1-2 minutes until combined, but don't over-beat. Combine the dry and wet ingredients until smooth. Add the chocolate chips.

Grease a 24-count mini muffin pan and pour batter evenly into pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

for the glaze: Melt peanut butter in the microwave for one minute, stirring halfway. Mix with milk and sugar. Add more milk by the tablespoon if want a thinner glaze.

Black Bean Brownies

August 04, 2015 in DSLR, Recipes

Welp. I am currently stuck in Dallas after my flight was delayed for four hours...then canceled to New York tonight. They (Virgin America) put me up in a sketchy hotel near a gentleman's club and a Waffle House and all I can think about is how I could have eaten more tacos and gone swimming one last time instead of hanging out at the airport the entire day. Oh well, at least I am alive and headed to NYC first thing tomorrow! (The shuttle bus leaves at 5 AM...so I cannot oversleep this one!)

My first order of business upon arrival to the beautiful NYC is to kiss and hug my dear husband whom I've been missing so much. Then, rush to work, answer a zillion emails and hopefully finish (start?) some projects, then head to a free off-Broadway show thanks to some very dear friends! In the meantime, here is a recipe for brownies--made with black beans. Wait wut? Are you out of your mind, Madeline?

I read somewhere on Pinterest that you could substitute flour for black beans (!?!), and then I thought the only way to conceal the color difference of black beans from white flour would be to make something chocolate. My next thought was brownies--and so I searched, and found this idea has already been done by a million other bloggers. But, let me just tell you, I actually tried it, and it tasted really good. Like, exactly like a gooey, rich, chocolate-y brownie normally tastes, except I don't feel near as bad afterwards when I eat them. I also tricked my husband (and a couple of friends) into eating the "brownie" before telling them what they were made of, and truthfully, they didn't taste any difference. It wasn't until after I told them what they were made of did people freak out. But...the taste was truly there. I hope you try these, and become a believer that healthy substitutes in baking can indeed taste good!

Flourless Black Bean Brownies: (adapted from skinnytaste)

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder*
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground coffee
1 cup chocolate chips, divided in half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Blend all ingredients (except for the chocolate chips) in a food processor or blender until smooth. Mix half of chocolate chips to blended batter and pour batter into a greased 9x9 inch pan. Top with rest of the chocolate chips.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Enjoy!

*I used special dark cocoa powder and that is why the brownies look so dark in color. If you used regular cocoa powder they would be a lighter brown color that would match the chocolate chips more.*

Easy, Simple, Delicious Vanilla Cake

February 17, 2015 in Recipes

cake stand // anthropologie

For Valentine's Day this weekend I wanted to make something sweet for Kyle. He had told me he was making a special dinner for me so I offered to make dessert! I've made this vanilla cake before and it is so simple to make yet so delicious. It is also a great base recipe and could be easily altered to make a different flavor/kind of cake. Later, I topped the cake with fresh raspberries so it would look more like a valentine cake (as if the pink paper roses weren't enough!).

I was pretty spoiled this weekend because in addition to Kyle making us an amazing meal, he surprised me with Broadway tickets to see one of my favorite shows--Phantom of the Opera!! :) It was an AMAZING show and an incredible Valentine weekend spent with each other. (It was also special because it was our 8th valentine's spent together! : D

Easy Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cup flour
1-3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup milk

Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 9x9 inch pan. In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat each egg in one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to wet mix. Stir in milk until batter is smooth. Pour batter into pan. Bake in oven for 25-35 minutes.

Note: I made this in a 9x9 inch pan but then cut out two smaller circles to make a more petite, 2-person serving!