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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Pear, Almond and Tahini Cake

This is The Haggis and Herrings first food post since the passing of my brother Daniel who quite proudly ran this blog.  Meredith and I really never knew when we would post again about food... until now.  So here I am, mainly on behalf of Meredith the baker and me (Abisaac) the taster.

So why now?  Before Daniel passed away he pre ordered for Meredith's birthday the recipe book "Saved by Cake, over 80 ways to bake yourself happy" by Marian Keyes.  The book arrived after Daniel passed away, but before her birthday.  At the time, he ordered it knowing how much Meredith loves to bake.  After all Meredith's finger prints are all over this blog when it comes to baking.  Looking back the title of the recipe book was fitting to the situation that unfolded.  I'm not sure if Meredith looked at the book much before this weekend or not because I didn't ask, but when I tasted the cake and she told me why she baked this particular cake, I knew this was something to post.

I said "Tahini in a cake? Seriously? " She explained "This would have been the first cake Dan would have made me make and he would have said exactly that!". So she made it and shared it with others.  Without knowing what was in the cake, I really wouldn't have known tahini was in it.  I got the pear right away, although I thought it was apple (I guess I don't have the most refined palette).  The cake reminded me of a crumble cake because it was very moist inside.

I hope we can do more of this within time!  It certainly felt good to blog here!  Check out the recipe below.

So here is the recipe with a few adaptions by Meredith:

Ingredients:
240 g tahini
260g date syrup (Meredith used maple syrup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
220g flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
100g almonds, chopped roughly
150g pears, peeled and diced into 2cm cubes (Meredith used canned pears as a substitute listed in the recipe book)
250ml apple juice (if you used canned pears, just use the juice in the can)

Directions:
Grease 23 cm cake tin and line the base with baking paper.  Preheat oven to 325F

Give the tahini a quick stir while it's still in the jar.  This is because tahini usually separates itself when standing.  Pour into a mixing bowl and beat with syrup.  Add the baking soda and mix again.

In a separate bowl, combine the sieved flour, cinnamon, almonds and diced pears.  Add a third of the flour nut mix to the tahini and mix.  Add half the pear juice and mix.

Add another third of the flour and the other half of the juice.  Finish with the remaining flour and mix until combined.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 45 minutes.  After 30 minutes drop the over temp to 325F and cover the cake loosely with tinfoil for the final 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  The recipe book doesn't recommend any toppings, but we decorated it with some extra almonds.

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Streusel Coffee Cake

Obviously still not back up to speed, Meredith and I neglected to shop for the weekend on Thursday evening. Dinner at our friends' place at new year's eve meant an empty fridge for the following day.

Mom to the rescue with an invitation to Shabbat dinner!

Dessert was great (because we haven't eaten enough cakes and cookies in the last four weeks). Mom made an old-school coffee cake in a loaf. One of those heavy ones that actually requires you to dip it in your coffee. Boy, was it good. It even had the streusel top and a layer in the middle.

Streusel Coffee Cake

Cake

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1-1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Topping

• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (omitted in mom's version)

1. Beat eggs, sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy.
2. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix just until blended.
3. Pour half of batter into a greased loaf pan. Mix ingredients for topping, and sprinkle half over batter.
4. Cover with remaining batter and top with crumb mixture. 
5. Bake at 350F for 50 minutes, or until cake tests done.

(from Second Helpings, Please! Streusel Coffee Cake)
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This recipe is also being shared with Marla's Remembrance Cakes post, to reflect on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the United States that changed the world as we knew it. It's sitting around the dinner table where we can talk, remember and heal.

No-bake Chocolate and Coconut Cookies (Cow Patties)

Ah, the semi-annual office bake sale. It can be kinda sad in my office, actually. Nowadays, many people just buy something from a grocery store bakery – I think that defeats the purpose. There's something special about home made baked goods, even if they don't belong on the front cover of Martha Stewart's magazine. They still taste good!

My colleague Kasandra brought these great no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies that are essentially brown blobs plopped onto waxed paper (I'm guessing their name – cow patties – comes from the plopping process ;-).

She thankfully allowed me to share the recipe.

No-bake Chocolate and Coconut Cookies (Cow Patties)

• 1/2 cup of margarine
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 cups white sugar 
• pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 package (8oz) shredded coconut
• 3 cups quick oatmeal

1. Combine margerine, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and cocoa in a large pot.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and oatmeal.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper or foil and let cool.
5. Refrigerate in a sealed container until ready to serve.

(recipe courtesy of Kasandra Mathieu)
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Another Delicious Chocolate Cake

Note: I'm too lazy to re-write this recipe.

Another Delicious Chocolate Cake is not Sweet Sadie's famous chocolate cake, it's another one. It's delicious.

Understand?

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Indoor S'mores

• 5 cups + 1 cup mini marshmallows
  
• 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 5 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
  
• 8 cups Golden Grahams cereal

1. Melt 5 cups of marshmallows, chocolate chips, butter or margarine and corn syrup in a 3 qt. pan over low heat stirring occasionally.
   
   
2. Remove mixture from heat and stir in vanilla.
   
   
3. Butter a 13" x 9" rectangular pan or line completely with parchment and set aside.
   
   
4. Pour Golden Grahams into a large bowland coat with marshmallow mixture. Stir in remaining marshmallows.
   
   
5. Press marshmallow-cereal mixture in pan with a greased spoon or wet hands.
   
   
6. Let cool and cut into squares; store in a loosely covered container.

(recipe from Nancy Hechter)
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Chocolate Revel Bars

Cleveland was a great choice for a boys weekend road trip. The food there wasn't spectacular with the exception of Rock Bottom. The Rock Bottom brewpub had decent food (salmon fish and chips, one of my favorites) and an excellent stout.

For the road, Meredith made us some chocolate revel bars (without nuts of course -- we saved some for Jacob) and lemon squares. The revel bars held up well in the car, but the lemon squares were a bit messy, so we saved those until we got back to the hotel.

Chocolate Revel Bars

• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat together 1 cup butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In another bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt; stir into butter mixture. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
4. Pat 2/3 of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over the top, and dot with remaining oat mixture.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven. Let cool on a wire rack, then cut into bars. 

(based on Chocolate Revel Bars from Better Homes and Gardens)
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Sweet Sadie's Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing

Jacob and Meredith made me the best birthday cake ever.

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Sweet Sadie's Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing

by Penny Martin July-1-2009

Jacob and Meredith made me the best birthday cake ever. Cake recipe from Sweet Sadie's; icing from Better Homes and Gardens.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs (large)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup whipping cream (for icing)
• 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (for icing)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees and grease a 12 x 9 cake pan.2. Sift the dry ingredients together.3. Mix the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl (low speed).4. Add oil, eggs (one at a time until incorporated), vanilla and milk (medium speed).5. When batter is smooth, add boiling water ( start on low and be careful that it doesn't splash!).6. Pour into prepared pan and bake approx. 35- 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.Note: Cool the cake completely before icing.For the icing:
1. In a medium saucepan, bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium heat.2. Remove from heat and add semi-sweet chocolate (do not stir) and let stand for 5 minutes.3. Stir untill smooth and cool for 15 minutes.Spoon evenly over cake.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour 20 mins Yield: 1 12x9-inch cake.

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Ginger Cookies

I love ginger cookies

There's something about ginger cookies that's just so comforting.

Meredith did a great job with a recipe she adapted from Better Homes and Gardens. The cookies were perfect -- soft in the middle and very yummy. Most importantly, they got the thumbs up from Jakey.

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Ginger Cookies

by Meredith Burbidge June-10-2009

These ginger cookies are hand-held comfort. The recipe was adapted from adapted from the New Better Homes and Gardens Giant Ginger Cookes recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup molasses

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.2. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.3. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add the 2 cups granulated sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1-1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.5. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 9-10 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. (Do not overbake or cookies will not be chewy.) Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.Note: Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 50 cookies

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Hello Dolly Squares with No Nuts

Last weekend I made the lemon chicken tajine for my mother-in-law and some friends.

Since Jacob was with us as well (along with his bowl of pasta, no chicken for him), he decided to make (with Meredith's help) one of his favorites for dessert: Hello Dolly squares "with Meredith's special ingredient: no nuts."

Meredith actually substitutes toffee bits for the nuts which make them taste a bit like a Skor bar.

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Hello Dolly Squares with No Nuts

by Meredith Burbidge May-27-2009

These squares are a quick and easy to prepare dessert.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup toffee bits
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.2. Melt butter, add graham cracker crumbs and press evenly into an eight-inch square pan.3. Sprinkle on coconut, chocolate chips and toffee bits, and then pour the can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over the pan.4. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is set and lightly browned.5. Cool and cut into small squares.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 20 squares

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Blondies

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Blondies

by Meredith Burbidge May-13-2009

These blondies are a great one-pan dessert. Recipe inspired by the Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary Cookbook.

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1 cup nuts, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9 baking pan; set aside.2. In a medium saucepan heat brwon sugar and butter over mudium heat until butter melts and the mixture is smooth, stirring constantly. Cool slightly.3. Stir in eggs one at a time; stir in vanilla. Stir in flour, abking powder and baking soda.4. Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts.5. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (avoid chocolate chips).6. Cool slightly on wire rack. Cut into bars while warm.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 24 squares

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