Shannon's blog

New blog

I'm going to try to put all my blog entries in one place:

Killer Bunnies, Inc

Maybe you'll get more posts ;)

Fudgy Wudgy Blueberry Brownies

fudgy wudgy blueberry brownies

Fudgy Wudgy Blueberry Brownies

Source: Veganomicon

Coments: OMGWTFBBQ. I love these! I can't believe it took me so long to make them. Don't tell but I snuck a bit of a corner and it was SOO good. Okay, I've been off the sugar for quite awhile, but still. Wondefully fudgy (still a bit warm currently) and honestly I think my homemade blueberry preserves are rocking this recipe. The husband inhaled the photo brownies and smiled. I think they will be a hit tomorrow at work. Actually, I guarantee it. 

Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookies

espresso chip oatmeal cookies

Espresso Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Source: Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

Comments: I was invited to the inlaws for a last minute bbq. No time to really bake a cake and I didn't have any fruit on hand. Chocolate always goes over well! These got rave reviews. I didn't try them because I don't like coffee but I hear they were just fantastic. Another great recipe! 

Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti

cranberry white chocolate biscotti

Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti

Source: Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

Comments: When I was making these I was feeling Christmasy. Weird, but the whole white chocolate with cranberries just seems so festive. I was told the allspice in them really stood out and made them different. There is white chocolate in them, so if you bake these be sure to let your nut allergic friends it is chocolate ;) 

Low Fat Double Chocolate Muffins

Double Chocolate Muffins

Low Fat Double Chocolate Muffins

Source: Have Cake Will Travel

Comments: I decided to bake my husband breakfast, and he always wants chocolate. I used white chocolate chips in these, and a bit too much salt. He didn't seem to mind. They were also really fudgy in the middle, even after 30 minutes, I was tired of waiting. Oh well. I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk as my milk alternative. 

Pecan Pie with Kahlua and Chocolate Chips

Pecan Pie with Kahlua and Chocolate Chips

Pecan Pie with Kahlua and Chocolate Chips

Source: Have Cake Will Travel for the crust and Bon Apetite below

Comments: I heard it was really rich, and very good. The crust was a bit thick, I should have evened it out more in the bottom, but I didn't get complaints. It is weird how the chocolate chips were placed on the bottom, but ended up closer to the top, the syrup separated from the pecans and chocolate in the oven forming layers. It was pretty cool and unintentional. I did use the eggs as I had no plans on eating it anyway. Ew, pecans! Hah! 

Pecan Pie with Kahlua and Chocolate Chips

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup Kahlúa or other coffee liqueur

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 purchased frozen deep-dish 9-inch pie crust

2/3 cup chilled whipping cream

Pecan halves (optional)

Preperation

Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat sugar and butter in medium bowl until smooth; beat in flour. Gradually beat in corn syrup, then Kahlúa and vanilla. Mix in eggs, then chopped pecans. Sprinkle chocolate chips over bottom of crust. Pour filling into crust.Bake pie until filling is puffed around edges and just set in center, covering edge of crust if browning too quickly, about 45 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)Beat cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Drop whipped cream in small dollops around edge of pie. Place pecan half atop each dollop, if desired.Serves 8 to 10.

Source: Bon Appétit

Copyright: December 1996

Apricot Clafoutis

apricot clafoutis

Apricot Clafoutis

Source: I'm not going to bother

Comments: Yeah, not so much. This is the bottom, because the top looked really really sad. As in it got a bit of a grey tinge from the almond milk or something, and without the 3 eggs, it kinda flopped. Still edible with a ton of brown sugar but not a success. Oh well, I got rid of the extra apricots and it was a dense and very moist cake. Very pudding like (not runny though). 

Candied Walnuts With Dark Chocolate and Orange Zest

candied walnuts

Candied Walnuts with Dark Chocolate and Orange Zest

Source: Whole Foods

Comments: My husband walnuts were staring me in the face all weekend so I asked if I could make them better. With chocolate. Hehe. These are super easy to use. I'm not sure how much orange juice I really did use since I squeezed it fresh as well as the fresh zest but it was quite a bit because they were very orangy. Which was fine. The smell with the cloves reminded me of Christmas, so I might make these as a treat around the holidays. As you can see, they started melting the moment I took them outside so I would suggest keeping them in the fridge. 

Lighter Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Lighter Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Lighter Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Source: Culinary in the Country

Comments: I of course subbed out the eggs and buttermilk, they are easy. I also added a tsp of Cake Spice from Penzeys and think I should have made it a half tsp. It was pretty much a spice cake, but very tasty. The problem I've been having with upside-down cakes is that the cake doesn't have enough flavour in itself. This time, it sure was flavourful. I served it warm for dinner for my husband, and room temp for my coworkers. Both ways worked. It was very easy, and all that brown sugar gives it such a wonderful flavour. 

Chocolate-Orange Espresso Thins

Chocolate-Orange Espresso Thins

Chocolate-Orange Espresso Thins

Source: Holiday Cookies 2005 and below

Comments: As you know I don't like coffee anything, so when I made these I had to get the husband to approve. I made a half batch to mail, and when he saw the little baggie he thought they were the extra and got very excited for his after work snack. Nope. The half batch all fit in a little baggie, strategically packed! He said they were very good and he couldn't place the orange until I told him what it was. He said they would be great with coffee, milk or hot chocolate! Very crispy.

Chocolate-Orange Espresso Thins

Makes about 4 dozen

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 

1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder 

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 

1 cup confectioners' sugar 

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling 

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. 

Put butter, confectioners' sugar, orange zest, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, and gradually add flour mixture until just combined. 

Transfer dough to a 12-by-16-inch piece of parchment; shape into a log. Roll in parchment to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of paper at each turn to narrow the log and force out air. Transfer in parchment to a paper towel tube; chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut log into 1/4-inch-thick slices; transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Brush tops with water; sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until set, 15 to 17 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks. Store in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.