Guinea For Jason

This recipe has made its rounds in several different forms, but one thing remains the same, it's completely addictive.  I was introduce to it by my lovely friend Amy and she called it chocolate crack, due to its addictive nature.  Well I was soon concocting my own batches of the stuff in my kitchen and becoming quite the addict myself.  At some point I decided I needed to bring this stuff to school and "share the wealth" or I'd be 2000 pounds soon!  I asked my colleague Jason if he'd like to be my guinea pig and try some treats I brought.  He misunderstood, mostly on purpose, and looked appalled that I wanted him to try guinea pig.  Well the "guinea pig" was tasted, adored and laughingly renamed, "Guinea".  Now I'm asked, "You got the guinea" on a regular basis.

So Jason, this one's for you!  Everyone else, beware!  This is shockingly easy to make and way too good to stop eating once you've succumbed!

Guinea (aka Chocolate Crack)  
Ingredients:
Graham Crackers (about 2 bags)
Butter (1-2 cups)
Brown Sugar (1-2 cups) - hey, I never said this was healthy!
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate Chips (1 -2 cups - depending on how much chocolate you want)
** Toasted Coconut, Toffee bits, Nuts, etc (optional)

Method:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• Line a baking sheet with foil
• Lay graham crackers down over the foil.  I like to break mine along the perforations and line them up.  It makes breaking them apart later, easier.

• On stove top, melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Here's where you can decide to do the "healthy" version or the "over the top"  version.  I have not yet been brave enough to do the over the top.  My mind resists anything that calls for 2 cups of butter.  I just can't do it.
• Once butter is melted add the brown sugar (1 cup if you did 1 cup of butter, and 2 cups if you did 2 cups of butter).  Stir until sugar incorporates into the butter. The mixture will bubble and thicken a bit.
• Once the brown sugar melts and incorporates add vanilla and stir.
• Next pour the mixture over the graham crackers.
• Now bake 5-7 minutes or until the "toffee" becomes bubbly.
• Now remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over - I typically use 1 cup.  Otherwise I feel like the chocolate overwhelms the toffee flavor.
• Now return to oven for 1 minute and remove again, spreading melted chocolate chips over the graham cracker/toffee with a spatula.
• Now you can add the "optional" extras if you'd like
• At this point you can let it cool or refrigerate or freeze it until it hardens, then break it up and store in an airtight container.

*Note:  My friend Stacy has made this substituting pretzels for the graham crackers.  Another delicious alternative!!!

Click here for printable recipe

"Raw" Goodies!

These next two recipes originally come from a variety of different sites, including A Couple Cooks and Shutterbean.  I have been searching and trying various recipes in order to discover great and healthy lunchbox alternatives for our family, since we all pack our lunches everyday.  Granola bars from the store are fantastic in size and are highly transportable.  However, they are fantastically full of ingredients I don't want in my body or my the bodies of my family!  The trick has been to make homemade versions of granola and energy bars that transport as well.  This is much harder than it sounds.  I've had some great tasting granola that doesn't hold together well enough for my boys to eat easily at lunch.  I had good success with a homemade granola bar not too long ago, which I posted here, Toasty Oat & Fruit Bars.  I now wanted variety!  I found it in these two goodies.

Viva Variety!

Raw Brownie & Apricot-Coconut Energy Bites

Apricot Coconut Energy Bites 
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup shredded coconut, toasted
1/3 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp. agave nectar
3 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Method:
1.  Process almonds in food processor until finely ground and set them aside.
2.  Place dried apricots in the food processor and process until finely chopped - about 2-3 minutes.
3.  Add coconut, oats, agave nectar, sesame seeds and ginger.
4.  Process until it all binds together and add in almonds.
5.  Process until well combined
6.  Roll mixture into balls and store in the freezer in an air tight container.

Raw Brownies 
Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts (unsalted)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
1 1/4 cups Medjool dates (about 12)
1/4 cup almonds (unsalted)
Cinnamon

Method:
1.  Pit the dates, set them aside.
2.  Process the walnuts in the food processor until nuts are finely ground.
3.  Add the cocoa powder  & salt and pulse to combine.
4.  Now, while food processor is running, add dates one at a time.  Once the dates are incorporated the dough should be crumbly yet form-able
5.  Now throw in the almonds and pulse to combine.
6.  Now you can form the brownies.  You can press them into a pan, roll them into balls or shape them into cubes. 
7.  Place them into the fridge or freezer for 5-10 minutes then sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
8.  If in a pan, then cut.  I put the balls &/or cubes in a container and store them in the container.

Click here for printable version

Cookie Dough!

One of my husband's favorite treats in the WORLD is cookie dough.  When I make extra dough and freeze the dough in balls in the freezer, I'm lucky to ever get to bake any of them.  When my friend Stacy told me about these little beauties, I went home and got to work.  I didn't have all the correct ingredients, so I made do with what I had on hand.  They turned out really great.  So good and good for you!!!  I don't know if I'll ever make "real" cookies again.  Well, probably not, but these are definitely around to stay!

Cookie Dough In The Raw! 
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups almonds
2/3 cups oats
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup of honey
2 tsp. vanilla
3-4 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Method:
1.)  Combine almonds, oats, cinnamon, ginger & salt in food processor until mixture is fine.
2.)  Add honey & vanilla and process to combine.
3.)  Add the chocolate chips and process to combine.  Process longer to make a more "chocolatey" dough, less for chocolate pieces in the dough.
4.)  Roll the mixture into little balls (about 1 tsp. each) and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper.  Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.  Then store in the freezer inside a closed container.

Click here for printable link

Old Family Favorites

The recipe I'm sharing today is an old family favorite.  I don't remember a time when chocolate crunch cookies weren't a staple when baking time rolled around.  This recipe comes from a family friend, Jamie Pearson.  She and her family feature prominently in my childhood memories.  Her son and I were best friends and partners in crime when we were little.  These cookies are melt in your mouth good and quickly became a favorite of my husband's when we were dating.  He wants me to warn you that inhaling when taking a bite is NOT advised.  He learned this the hard way.  Powdered sugar down your trachea/windpipe, is less than desireable.  Another tip, DON'T eat the raw chocolate dough.  It looks rich and decadent, but it tastes horrible by itself.  Apparently an entire batch was thrown out by a "dough tester" that was not wise to this fact.  Don't let this happen to your yummy cookie dough! 

So grab you're ingredients and get baking!  It's that time of year!

Chocolate Crunch Cookies   
Ingredients:
12 Tbsp. baking cocoa
4 Tbsp. oil
½ cup oil
2 cups sugar
4 unbeaten eggs
4 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2tsp baking powder
½ tsp. salt.
Powdered Sugar

Method:
Mix cocoa with 4 Tbsp. oil.
Slowly blend in ½ cup oil and gradually mix as you go along.
Blend in sugar and add eggs 1 at a time. Beat well with each addition.
Add vanilla.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
Add to chocolate mixture. Mix well.
Chill for 1 hour.
When dough has chilled, scoop out by teaspoonful and roll in powdered sugar.
Place each powdered sugar covered ball on cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (larger cookies will take a bit longer).


Click here for printable version