Cheesecake brownies

My life is so awesome lately. I know everyone hates a braggart, but, i just got the most amazing job on the planet, a job that im OBSESSED with! And, the people i work with are amazing!!! i won the jackpot. seriously. I realize some of you may be rolling your eyes because its like im showing off. But im not. All im doing is letting you know, that no matter how awful things may seem sometimes, there is happiness right around the corner waiting for you. Believe me. And when you find it, make these cheesecake brownies to celebrate your awesome life. Because you are awesome. And you deserve a life full of awesome. Gigi says so.

Cheesecake brownies (from http://www.thejoyofbaking.com/)

Brownie Layer: (or just use a brownie mix - Ghriardelli is my fav)

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces (115 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (65 grams) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream Cheese Layer:

8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) square baking pan that has been lined with aluminum foil across the bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan.


In a stainless steel (heatproof) bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (with a wooden spoon) after each addition. Stir in the flour and salt and beat, with a wooden spoon, until the batter is smooth and glossy and comes away from the sides of the pan (about one minute). Remove 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set it aside. Place the remainder of the brownie batter evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.

Then, in the bowl of your food processor (or with a hand mixer), process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar, vanilla, and egg and process just until creamy and smooth. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the brownie layer. Spoon small dollops of the reserved brownie batter evenly on top of the cream cheese filling. Then with a table knife or wooden skewer, swirl the two batters without mixing them.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan and the edges of the brownies are just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate the brownies until they are firm enough to cut into squares (at least two hours). Once chilled, remove the brownies from the pan by lifting with the ends of the foil and transfer to a cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut into 16 squares. It is a good idea to have a damp cloth nearby to wipe your knife between cuts. These brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Serve these to your friends or new co-workers as a way to thank them for making your life so full of happiness.
xoxo
smooches!
gigi

Cinnamon granola

I know i just made and posted a granola recipe a couple of posts ago. But! I saw a post on Joy the Baker's website that she adapted from Martha Stewart and was in awe. She added huge raw almonds and honey! yuumm!!! I looked through my goodies cabinet and remembered that i bought cinnamon honey from the farmers market that i hadn't used it. Oh My Godnessssss. It is so amazing. This granola is out of this world. I mean, it is delicious, and its good for you. Please make this.

Adapted from Joy the Baker
http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/01/toasted-almond-granola/

You'll need:
4 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup slivered raw almonds
1 cup whole raw almonds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cinnamon honey
1/4 cup brown sugar (i did not use this much, i only used about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
dried cranberries

Place a rack in the upper third and middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line one large or two small baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk together oats, whole almonds, slivered almonds, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt together butter, oil, honey and brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to boil. Carefully whisk together so it’s well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract. Pour the warm mixture over the oat and almond mixture and toss together with a wooden spoon, ensuring that all of the oat mixture gets moistened by the sugar and oil mixture.

Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet(s) and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, removing from oven to stir and toss on the pan twice during baking. When time is up, Remove from the oven, let cool, add cranberries and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Or! Pack it up and give it to your bff's. They'll love you forevs. Word.
smooches!
gigi

Chocolate chip coffee cake

I love coffee cakes. I love chocolate. I love finding recipes about chocolate or coffee cake and then i print them or tear them out of magazines. (even if the magazines don't belong to me. Spare me the lecture...). Sometimes when the day is perfect that the sun is shining on me, a special recipe finds its place on my fridge. This recipe has been on my fridge for about 8 months.  I found it at: http://www.lovintheoven.com/2010/02/chocolate-chip-coffee-cake.html . This cake looked and sounded  soooooo good. I have been meaning to make it and i finally found an excuse. What was the excuse? To bribe little kids so that i will always remain their favorite. Yup.  Don't judge me bro.

Recipe:

•1 stick butter at room temp.
•1/2 cup of sugar
•1/3 cup brown sugar
•2 eggs
•1 cup sour cream
•1 tsp vanilla
•1 tsp water
•2 cups flour
•1 1/2 tsp baking powder
•1 tsp baking soda
•1 tsp cinnamon
•6 oz chocolate chips  (i used mini chocolate chips)

1. mix 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate chips.

2. cream butter, 1 cup white sugar, and eggs. add the sour cream, vanilla and water.

3. in a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and soda. combine into the wet ingredients.

4. pour half of the batter into a greased and floured 9×13 inch pan. sprinkle half of the cinnamon, sugar and chocolate chip mixture on the batter. pour in the rest of the batter and top with the rest of the cinnamon, sugar and chip mix. - This batter is a little dense so this is going to take time. Don't worry, it doesn't have to be perfect because the batter will rise and swell all around the empty spaces.

5. bake at 350 F for 30 minutes. let it cool for at least an hour before cutting into it, or the chocolate chips will be too melty and it will be hard to get out of the pan.

Healthy chocolate chunk oatmeal bites

I made great Christmas cookie tins. Look!!

Amazing, right?! I know, i brag. Cut me some slack.....The best part about this tin and the things in it, is that every cookie is nearly sugar free! See the ones on the right with the chocolate chunks in them? I got those from the 101 cookbooks website
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/nikkis-healthy-cookies-recipe.html
These are great, and nearly guilt free! And, just in time for that new years diet regimen. Make these, eat these, and totally don't feel bad because you are still not violating your new years "I'm going to look so hot in a tiny bikini on my honeymoon" resolution! ;)

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately i used olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment (or Silpat) lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect - just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.

Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.