Fashionable Chocolate

This is generally a woman's question - When it comes to clothes are you
A) Frugal
B) Fashionable

Well, this could also be applied to food.  If you like cooking this is easier, but are you
A) cook from scratch and make it look like its from a magazine person
B) boxed mix, prepackaged all the way kind a gal

Yes, it is definitely possible to be both, but this is an 'A' or 'B' answer. 'AB' is not an option.  I know none of us are 100% one way, but consistently what is your default?

Okay, now you have made me cop out of my own question!  Couldn't you have left well enough alone?  Well, my mom shops a lot on the Internet and is a member of a lot of stores, so we get all sorts of discounts.  But if you pushed my back against the wall and had a knife to my throat, I would have to answer (sigh) I would be . . . fashionable.  Yes, I would.  But since I'm not backed up against a wall and having a knife pressed to my throat, I can say that I don't have to pay big bucks for good clothes!

Now, to cooking . . . I have to combine the two most of the time because of the size of my family and my schedule.  But I would love to cook more from scratch and I really enjoy making food look appealing.  So today we are going to have two Cookie Dough Brownie Recipes.  One is from scratch and one is not.  Both are delicious.  We make the scratch one for special occasions and the other when we are pressed for time.  I hope you enjoy both!

Two Tone Fudge Brownies

These are incredible, but the first time you make them, it can be somewhat time consuming.  But I think it is that way with all new recipes.  Also, the cookie dough layer can be frozen in little "blobs" (for lack of a better term) and mixed with vanilla ice cream to make chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream!

BROWNIE LAYER
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
COOKIE DOUGH LAYER
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips.  Cool slightly while creaming butter and sugar in large bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla, then stir in melted chocolate.  Combine flour and soda; add to batter.  Stir in walnuts if desired.  (In my case, definitely not desired.  I like nuts, but NOT in my brownies.)




All the ingredients waiting to be mixed together!

Spread into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 16-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  (Wait, you're supposed to cool it on a wire rack?  Oops . . .)

Ready to go!

Cream butter and sugars.  Beat in milk and vanilla.  Gradually beat in flour.  (Or just dump it in:)  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread over cooled brownie layer.  Cut into squares and enjoy!  Store leftovers in fridge.

The butter, sugars, milk and vanilla.

The cookie dough batter with the flour and chocolate chips added.

Notice the cookie layer has no eggs!  So you have a great excuse to eat raw cookie dough.  For the record, fear of getting sick has never stopped me from eating cookie dough.  Honestly, I think cookie dough is sweeter and more pleasing texture than the finished cookie. 



Next . . . your new go to convenience brownie recipe!

Coffee and Cookie Brownies

1 16.5 oz. packaged refrigerated sugar cookie dough
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 19.5 package brownie mix
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup coffer liqueur or cooled strong coffee
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Press cookie dough into the bottom of a 9x13 pan; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, brownie mix, oil and coffee until just combined.  Spread over cookie dough.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  (Yes, yes we know.)  Cool on a wire rack.  (Again?)  Enjoy!

We have brought the second one to Writing Class on several occasion and we girls have snuck some when it was actually the boys' snack.  :):):)