Picky McPickerstein Black Bean Brownies

We are a family of foodies.   My  three year old happily eats any type of cuisine. I would even go as far to say he has a gourmand's palette, he recently rejected cheese whiz on a bagel in favour of some grilled salmon.  The nine month old is heading the same direction.  He refuses to eat all jarred baby food (as really he should - have you tasted that stuff?) and will only eat home made food. 

There is one exception to this house of gourmet children.

The nine year old.  He is the exact opposite, a Picky McPickerstein.  Herculean efforts have been made to try and get this child to deviate from his limited diet of plain pasta, cheese pizza, toast, and peas.  Okay, there are a few more items on the list but you get the idea.  To say it makes things challenging is an understatement. Not to mention the worry that he isn't getting enough nutrients. 

Various "hide the good stuff so they don't know they are eating it" recipes have been recommended, tried and ultimately failed to pass the picky eaters taste test. 

Until now....... 

He gobbles these up!  He actually just asked for the recipe so he could make them at school.  That's not going to happen - I need to keep the secret ingredient ...a secret.


Black Bean Brownies

1 19 fl oz  can of black beans (rinsed and drained)  
3 eggs
1/2 cup of cocoa
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 dark chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Optional 

1/2 cup walnuts

I of course have to the leave the nuts out as Picky McPickerstein doesn't like nuts

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 inch x 8 inch pan
2. Toss everything but the walnuts (if including them) into a food processor and puree - the key is the make sure all the black beans are ground up
3. Mix in the walnuts if applicable
4. Pour the batter in to the pan and bake for 30 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean

Note: I like to toss a few more chocolate chips on top for decorative purposes and to keep up the guise this is a treat when really Picky McPickerstein is eating protein

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Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

We don't make bacon often, but when we do, we occasionally save the rendered fat in a jar and store it in the back of the fridge. I'd joke about using it to make fried bread once in a while, but I never do.

Putting bacon in everything has been a trend for some time. I think it's part of the sweet and salty combination that makes the flavours attractive. I've seen bacon with chocolate and bacon-topped cupcakes. Meredith wanted to use some of that bacon fat for cookies, so we started looking.

The more reasonable recipes used about 1/2 cup bacon fat (as substitute for 1/2 cup butter). I know - that can't be healthy. We weren't expecting it to be. And there had to be some crumbled bacon as well.

The cookies were pretty good. There was a slight aftertaste that was a little strong, but I attribute that to sediment in the bacon fat - extra salty bits. I think I should've put the hot bacon fat through a coffee filter first, because it was a little cloudy. I've done it before and I'll do it next time - if there is a next time.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup rendered bacon fat
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup bacon, cooked and chopped

1. Using an electric mixer, fold bacon fat, butter, and brown sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary.
2. Continue to mix on low and add eggs, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Continue to mix and add flour. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary.
4. Mix in chocolate chips and bacon and let dough rest for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
6. Using a cookie scoop, spoon balls of dough onto baking sheets.
7. Bake for 16 minutes and allow cookies to cool on a rack.

inspired by Kim Conte's recipe.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Just before the new year, I asked Jacob what his favourite cookie was. To my surprise, he told me it was the peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie I used to make him, (and later Meredith made for him) based on the Cookies for Rookies recipe from Crazy Plates by Janet and Greta Podleski.

When Jacob asked why Meredith's cookies turned out better than mine, Meredith pointed out to him that she knew the difference between baking soda and baking powder. Whoops!

We haven't made that recipe in years, so Meredith decided to make a batch for Jacob for a New Year's Day get-together.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees and prepare two cookie sheets (greased, or using parchment paper).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.
3. Using a stand mixer, cream together the brown sugar, margarine, peanut butter, and buttermilk. 
4. Add dry ingredients and mix to form a smooth dough. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Roll dough into 1-1/2 inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Using a fork, flatten cookies to between 1/2 and 1/4 inch thickness. Bake for 10 minutes. 
6. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.

Makes approximately 30 cookies.

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