Mocha Chocolate Chip Pancakes

This may sound odd... But I kinda have a strong love of making pancakes for my sweet boyfriend. I just think of him, and pancakes, and I have to make them for him! Maybe it's because pancakes are such a warm comforting food. And they always make me happy when I eat them, so I want them to make him happy too? I don't know! I don't really feel this way about pancakes and anyone else... Lol. I also know that I cannot make them for him, or myself, TOO often. They aren't the healthiest food. I must resist! But they're definitely worth the splurge on occasion :) Our last splurge consisted of these mocha chocolate chip pancakes. They are SO good! I was weirded out by the idea of using ground coffee instead of instant coffee, but it worked great! The chocolate chips add the perfect touch to break up the coffee flavor and make them rich. These are easy to make, satisfying, and definitely a treat. Enjoy!

Mocha Chip Pancakes with Espresso Syrup

For the Espresso Syrup:

1 cup corn syrup

2 oz. (a double shot) hot espresso

For the Mocha Chip Pancakes:

1 cup flour

1/3 cup malted milk powder

3 Tb. ground coffee (not instant)

3/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 Tb. melted butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Heat a griddle, or non-stick skillet, to medium-high.

In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.

In a smaller bowl, whisk the milk, egg, and vanilla until frothy.

Add the milk mixture to the dry mix and whisk until smooth. Last whisk in the melted butter.

Allow the pancake batter to rest for 3-5 minutes before cooking, to thicken. It should be so thick that it barely pours.

Once the griddle is hot, stir in the chocolate chips.

Make one pancake as a test-batch to ensure your heat in accurate. Use a 1/4 cup scoop to ladle the batter onto the griddle. Spread into a circle. Cook for 1-3 minutes per side. Flip when small bubbles rise to the top of the batter. If the pancake turns dark too quickly, lower the heat.

Makes 8-10 pancakes.

Source: http://www.rachelcooks.com/2012/07/22/mocha-chip-pancakes-with-espresso-syrup/

Beer Bread

I love bread. This is a good thing obviously, since that means I can make bread, but it's also a very bad thing... For my hips! Oh, and was this bread dangerous. Yikes. I could not stop eating it. I literally had no control around it! Just kidding, kinda ;) It's a sweeter bread, not too sweet, and deliciously buttery. It's amazing, pretty much. And the fact that it is so so easy makes it only better! It requires one bowl, throw in a bottle of beer or soda, and bake it up with some butter on top! It's perfect for when the bread drawer is somehow empty before you realize it. It's also a nice change since my family eats the same Italian rolls from the same bakery every.single.day. I really love this recipe and I'll be making it often. Enjoy! :)

I loved watching the bubbles!

Homemade Beer Bread

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (12-ounce) bottle beer

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 5" x 9" loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside. 

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Add beer and mix until combined (Dough will be sticky). Place dough into loaf pan. Pour melted butter over top of loaf.

Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, or until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean from center. 

Serve warm or cold.

Source: http://www.shortstopblog.com/2009/10/homemade-beer-bread.html

Beer Braised Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon

Oooh yes... Looks rich, huh? It is. This dish was amazing! It completely surpassed my expectations, considering the short list of ingredients for a stew. I made this meal since St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, and my family has never actually celebrated it! We aren't Irish... But we can still honor St. Patrick :) I also wanted to make Irish food since I never have before, and my mate's grandparents are really big on the holiday and Ireland, so I thought I should try to incorporate it into my life somehow as well. Honestly, this is the best beef stew I have ever had. And I've had many. The colcannon is basically mashed potatoes with tender sliced cabbage and salty bacon bits mixed in. It is perfect with the stew! 

This dish doesn't take very long to make. The most time-consuming part is when it's in the oven. I took quite some time trimming and cutting the meat, as there was a good amount of fat. I love how it goes in the oven twice, 45 minutes at a time, since it gave me time to clean the dishes and do other necessary things, lol. This dish is very filling so while you may want to load it up on your plate, I'd suggest to wait and get seconds if you're still hungry. I made Irish soda bread to eat with this dish and it was so good! I'll share that recipe as well. Enjoy! :)

Beer Braised Irish Beef Stew with Colcannon 

Makes 8 servings

Irish Stew:

 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

 1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 1 cup coarsely chopped onion

 1 cup coarsely chopped carrot

 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle dark beer

 2 bay leaves

 1 teaspoon dried thyme

 1 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Calcannon:

 3 slices bacon

 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage

 1/4 cup milk, warmed

 2 tablespoons butter

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot, and brown the meat in 2 batches, stirring to brown the cubes on all sides. Return all the meat to the Dutch oven, sprinkle with flour, and stir lightly to coat the meat with flour. Stir in onion, carrots, dark beer, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cover.

Place the Dutch oven into the preheated oven, and cook for 45 minutes; uncover, stir the stew, and cook until the beef is very tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 more minutes.

Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside.

About 30 minutes before the stew is ready, make the colcannon: Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.

Place the cabbage into a microwave-safe bowl, and add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on High for about 2 1/2 minutes; uncover (watch out for steam) and stir the cabbage. Cover and microwave for about 2 1/2 more minutes, until the cabbage is slightly tender but not mushy. Drain excess liquid, and set the cabbage aside, covered.

Place the potatoes into a large bowl, and add milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Beat the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir in the cabbage, crumbled bacon, and parsley until well combined.

To serve, place a scoop of colcannon onto a plate, make a hollow, and fill with braised beef stew.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beer-Braised-Irish-Stew-and-Colcannon/Detail.aspx

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I love granola bars. I eat them quite often, almost daily! They're chewy and satisfying, and can even cure my sweet tooth cravings! I've eaten almost every granola bar out there. Chewy brand bars are great, but they're so tiny. I love Clif bars, but they can get quite expensive... Sometimes, all you need are some simple homemade granola bars. These turned out awesome. I used whole wheat flour in place of the white flour, though in the future I will only use half, as it has quite a distinct flavor. I can only imagine how much more delicious these will be next time! My dad went crazy for these, ate three within ~10 minutes! I don't blame him. They are sweet, but most of that sweetness comes from the wonderful bursts of chocolate from within. This recipe is SO EASY. And it bakes within 18 minutes! These also hold their shape, unlike some granola bars that crumble as you eat them. I will definitely make these again and again and again :) Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 chocolate chips

1/2 cup wheat germ (I used flax meal. Great source of fiber!)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, raisins,  salt, and cinnamon in a bowl, making sure to beat the brown sugar lumps into submission. Combine egg, oil, honey, and vanilla in a small bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix it all up, and dump it into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Using a greased spatula, or a wet spoon, spread it into an even layer.

 Bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool pan on a wire rack, and when it’s all cooled off, you can cut it into whatever size bars you like. 

Source: http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2009/06/homemade-granola-bars/ 

Mongolian Beef

It's hard for me to find a food that I really don't enjoy. I've tried so many Chinese dishes, except for this one. That is, until I made it myself! I had actually never heard of this dish before coming across it on this blog, but I'm sure glad I did. This is one of my favorite Chinese entrees that I can make at home. The sauce is absolutely amazing. I can't stop thinking about it! It has a slight spice from the pepper flakes, although if you love heat you may want to add more, or even double it! It's sweet and savory and Mmm, perfect! It's also ridiculously easy to make which is always a plus. I definitely recommend everyone try this dish, and let me know how it turns out! Enjoy :)

I used cubed steak because I think it is more tender than a flank steak would be. Try whatever you prefer!

Here's the beef when the sauce is added. 

I let it all cook and reduce for about 10 minutes at medium heat. 

Mongolian Beef

1 lb of flank steak or cube steak, thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 cup of cornstarch

3 teaspoons of canola oil

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger (about 1/2 inch piece)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2 -3 large cloves)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 large green onions, sliced

Rice, for serving

Instructions

For the meat, make sure the steak slices are dry by patting them with a paper towel. Slice them into strips, then add the cornstarch to the beef. Place the slices in a strainer and shake off excess corn starch. Begin to cook the rice while you prepare the rest of the meal.

For the sauce, heat half of the oil in a large wok or pan at medium-high heat and add the garlic and the ginger. Immediately add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and pepper flakes. Cook the sauce for about 2 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Don’t worry if the sauce doesn’t look thick enough at this point. The corn starch in the beef will thicken it up later.

Place the meat in the same pan, add in the rest of the oil if needed, and cook, stirring until it is all browned (this is a quick thing). Pour the sauce back into the wok/pan and let it cook along with the meat.

You can cook down the sauce to reduce it to thicken or leave it thinner. Add the green onions on the last minute so the green parts will stay green and the white parts crunchy. Serve it hot with rice. Serves 2.

Source: http://crepesofwrath.net/2009/02/09/mongolian-beef/ 

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These cookies right above are my first attempt at royal icing. I think they turned out pretty good! Considering I had no practice with it before. They are also very delicious. My mom bought me a bag of this icing mix, and I initially thought I'd make some vanilla cut-out cookies to try it out with. Then, I saw this post by one of my favorite bloggers, and I knew it was meant to be! Dark chocolate sugar cookies... Yum :) They were so easy to make too! Seven ingredients is all it takes. I definitely recommend these cookies, and I also recommend the icing mix! It was a great alternative to me having to go out and buy a large canister of meringue powder that I would barely use. Enjoy!

The ice cream cones were my favorite!

Dark-Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, beating to combine. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a 1 1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. (Or whichever shapes you prefer.) Space cookies 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Brush off excess flour.

Bake cookies, rotating sheets once, until edges are firm, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer cookies, on parchment, to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

Makes about 30, but really depends on the shapes and sizes of your cookie cutters

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/335250/dark-chocolate-cookies?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/chocolate-cookie-recipes#slide_7 

Maple-Honey Granola Bark

YUM. Granola is one of those things I just never get tired of. When I have it in the house, I usually take a little handful to nibble on once or twice a day. Then there are the parfaits.. My favorite! Especially with frozen blueberries and fresh strawberries. I could eat them every day! But I usually rushing-ly make a green smoothie and slurp it up while getting ready for school and such. Granola is also pretty healthy. Rolled oats, honey, and this recipe even has ground flax seed! Bonus. The almonds in the recipe were put in with apprehension, but they were delicious. They slightly toasted in the oven and added a nice nutty touch. I also love how this is "bark." So much better than trying to snack on tiny pieces of granola that require a spoon for eating. One of my favorite parts of this recipe is that it uses a good amount of coconut oil, which is SO good for you. But it's also not that easy to incorporate a substantial amount into your daily diet. At least, not for me! Here is a link to some of the benefits of coconut oil. Enjoy!

NOM.

Maple-Honey Granola Bark

1/3 c. maple syrup

1/3 c. honey

1 Tb. vanilla

1/2 c. coconut oil, melted

5 c. rolled oats (not quick)

1 c. chopped almonds or walnuts

1/2 c. sunflower seeds

1/2 c. flax meal (or 1/4 c. flax + 1/4 c. wheat/oat bran)

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using salted sunflower seeds)

optional: 1-2 c. dried fruit mixed in after cooling (we usually add our fruit to each bowl when eating)

Heat oven to 325 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet with silicone or parchment.

Mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl, then add the remaining ingredients (except for optional fruit) and mix everything really well.

Press the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet, using the back of the spoon, a spatula, or your hand wetted with water.

Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, for about 35 minutes and do not stir. It will be golden brown all over and more on the edges.

Remove to a cooling rack for 1 hour before breaking the granola into chunks and adding the optional fruit.

Makes about 7 cups

Source: http://www.anoregoncottage.com

Salted Caramel Popcorn Macarons

I love to try new things in the kitchen, but macarons are always a little scary. The first batch I ever tried were chocolate. I piped probably two dozen macarons onto the baking sheet, put it in the oven, and what I got in the end was not was I was hoping for. The were crackly on the top, and had no 'feet!' I was pretty sad to say the least... Before putting my second batch in though, I googled why they might've turned out that way, and apparently the fans in your oven and the heights of the oven racks make a large impact. Oh, is that true. So I piped one macaron on a small cookie tray and put it about two levels higher from the middle of my oven. IT WORKED! I was so ecstatic. Now I follow exactly that whenever I make macarons. They still taste good either way, but it's nice to have 'em look pretty :) 

These macarons were so good! They're very sweet, and the only popcorn in them is on the top, which surprised me, but it adds the perfect amount of flavor to earn their name. The filling was a easy caramel, but it turned out way too watery for my liking. I filled a few and it went all over them, so I figured it isn't worth the mess. I just whipped up a quick buttercream, about 4 tbsp. softened salted butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, and approx. 2-3 tbsp. milk, and whipped it up. I added the caramel and it was a good consistency for me! Thicker, which is what I like, and could hold up to the shells when you bite into them. I might've done something wrong with the caramel, so if you want to try it, go for it! Enjoy :)

Beautiful macaron feet!

Love this.

Salted Popcorn Caramel Macarons

Yield: about 20-24 sandwich cookies

Ingredients:

For the macarons:

110 grams almonds (blanched or slivered)

200 grams confectioners’ sugar

90 grams egg whites, aged at room temperature for 24 hours or 3-5 days in the refrigerator

25 grams granulated sugar

3/4 cup buttered and salted popcorn, pulsed or chopped into fine chunks

For the caramel filling: 

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 cup water

6 tablespoons heavy cream

Pinch of fleur de sel

Directions:

To make the macarons, pulse the almonds and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a food processor until finely ground and well blended. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating until a smooth, shiny meringue with stiff peaks forms. Add the ground almond mixture to the bowl with the meringue and quickly but gently fold together using a wide rubber spatula until no streaks remain. You want to achieve a thick batter that ribbons or flows from the spatula when lifted.

Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a plain wide round tip. Pipe into small rounds on the prepared baking sheets (each round should be about 1-1½ inches in diameter), spaced about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the rounds lightly with the chopped popcorn pieces (leave half plain if you want them to lie flat). Let sit at room temperature for about an hour to develop a hard shell.

Preheat the oven to 280˚F. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on size. Transfer the pans to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely before moving the cookies.

To make the caramel filling, combine the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring until the sugar begins to melt and turn golden at the edges. Continue cooking, swirling the pan to cover evenly, until the sugar turns golden amber. Carefully pour the cream down the side of the pan in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly until combined. Stir in the fleur de sel. Transfer the caramel to a bowl and let cool. It will thicken as it cools.

Once the cookies are totally cooled, match them up by size. Pipe a small dollop of caramel on the flat side of one cookie of each pair. Sandwich together with the remaining cookie, pushing the caramel to the edges. Store in an airtight container.

Source: http://www.cooklikeachampionblog.com/2011/09/salted-popcorn-caramel-macarons/