Brookies

BROOKIES
 

All needed ingredients:
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. packed brown sugar (light or dark or combination)
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 + 1/2 c. flour
1 3/4 c. chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
 
 
Brownie layer:
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/3 c. (35g) cocoa powder
3/4 c. (135g) chocolate chips, melted
1/2 c. (100g) sugar
1/2 c. (110g) brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. (60g) flour
 
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment or foil.
 
Combine melted butter and cocoa powder in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until cocoa powder is fully dissolved. Add melted chocolate chips and mix.
 
Add sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Mix until the sugar is moistened. Add eggs and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes. Mix in flour.
 
Put brownie batter in pan. Spread evenly into a thin layer.
 
 
 
Cookie layer:
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1/2 c. (100g) sugar
1/4 c. (55g) packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/3 (160g) flour
1 c. (180g) chocolate chips
 
Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
 
Mix in vanilla and egg. Add salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until combined. Add flour and mix.
 
Stir in chocolate chips.
 
 
Drop cookie batter onto the brownie batter in big spoonfuls. It doesn’t have to cover the brownie layer completely, but try to cover it fairly evenly.
 
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes.
 
 
Cool, cut, and enjoy!
 

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

 

CROCKPOT BBQ CHICKEN

 

8 lbs leg quarters or 3 lbs boneless skinless breasts

18 oz BBQ sauce

16 oz chicken stock

1 bell pepper, chopped fine

1 onion, chopped fine

30 oz canned pineapple, undrained

Garlic powder

 

Cook for 8-10 hours on low. Serve over rice.

Toffee Cake

TOFFEE CAKE 

1 box devil's food cake mix plus ingredients to prepare

1 jar (12-14 oz) caramel ice cream topping, warmed

1 jar (12-14 oz) hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

12 oz Heath Bits O' Brickle toffee chips (1 1/2 bags)

Prepare cake mix according to package directions in a 9x13" pan. Bake as directed.

When the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes with a chopstick or make cuts down into it with a knife. Slowly pour the caramel and hot fudge toppings over the hot cake (I prefer how it comes out if you do the caramel first). Let the cake cool, then cover and refrigerate it.

Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Spread over the cold cake. Top with toffee chips.

Store in refrigerator. 

Italian Chicken Casserole

ITALIAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

2 lbs boneless skinless thighs

Olive oil

Dried bell peppers

4 cans green beans, drained

1 can diced tomatoes, rinsed and drained

1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained 

Italian blend seasoning

Dash chicken grill seasoning

Salt and pepper

2 cups cooked quinoa

Brown thighs in olive oil in large skillet. Add water, bell peppers, cans, and seasonings to taste. Cook on medium-low for 30 minutes, covered. Stir, cover, and cook 15 more minutes. 

Remove with slotted spoon. Reduce juices and add to chicken mixture. Stir in quinoa. Drizzle with olive oil and mix. 

Cold Lunches

COLD LUNCHES

YOGURT

Chocolate Strawberry:

130g plain nonfat Greek yogurt (1/2 c) 11g

23g chocolate protein powder (1 scoop) 10g

28g chopped pecans (1 oz) 3g

10g freeze dried strawberry powder 

5-10g heavy cream

Almond milk

        24g protein

Mix protein powder and strawberry powder with enough almond milk to form a smooth paste. Mix with rest of ingredients.

COTTAGE CHEESE

Blueberry:

226g lowfat cottage cheese (1 c) 26g

70g frozen wild blueberries (1/2 c)

23g vanilla protein powder (1 scoop) 10g

28g chopped walnuts (1 oz) 4g

Almond milk 

        40g protein

Mix protein powder with enough almond milk to form a smooth paste. Mix with rest of ingredients.

PBJ YOGURT 

1 c plain nonfat Greek yogurt 

1 scoop unflavored low carb protein powder

1 scoop vanilla low carb protein powder

Almond milk

1/4 c peanut butter

Jelly to taste

Mix protein powders with enough almond milk to make a smooth paste. Mix together yogurt and peanut butter. Mix in protein powder mixture until uniform. Stir in jelly (I like to mix just until there are small clumps of it left). 

Mom's Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

MOM'S BREAD PUDDING WITH RUM SAUCE  

1 loaf French bread, crumbled (8 cups) 

4 cups milk  

4 eggs  

1/2 stick melted butter

1/2 tsp, strong vanilla  

1 cup sugar  

Nutmeg  

Melt butter in 8 c. measuring cup. Add milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and nutmeg. Beat with whisk until well blended. Pour into bread crumbs and mix well. Bake at 350 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  

RUM SAUCE  

1/2 c. butter  

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar  

1 egg yolk  

1/2 c. rum or bourbon, or to taste  

Melt butter and add powdered sugar. Beat in egg yolk. Add booze to taste. Sauce will thicken as it cools. 

Gingerbread Spice Mix

GINGERBREAD SPICE MIX

I add this to coffee, but there are lots of yummy uses for it! 

3 Tbsp cinnamon

3 Tbsp ginger 

1 Tbsp allspice 

3/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cloves

Mix all together. Store in a tightly closed container in a cool, dry place.

Half batch:

1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon

1 1/2 Tbsp ginger 

1/2 Tbsp allspice 

3/8 tsp nutmeg

3/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cloves