Introducing the BEST gift . . .

I had the public seminar for my thesis on Friday - technically a requirement for our graduate program, but it's more of a fun day where a student's family comes to celebrate. After my talk, we all headed to a conference room for cake and champagne, and my wonderful and generous lab gave me a gift - A KITCHENAID MIXER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was in shock! I guess I talk about wanting one more than I thought - haha. They know I love purple, so they got it in Boysenberry - seriously a beautiful color. I never thought I would be able to decide on what color mixer to get some day, so I'm thrilled that the decision has been made for me and that I LOVE IT! I also love that every time I look at it I will remember that they gave it to me. I have so many recipes that I can make with my new mixer, and so many things that will be so much easier! Of course I will have to pick something amazing to make for a future lab meeting :)

And because I feel strange posting without a recipe, here's something I made a while ago - Blueberry Pocket Pies. I used this filling and this crust recipe, and got the idea from Mini Baker to use cookie cutters to make them into fun shapes. The only problem with these was that there is a skewed ratio of crust to filling - I guess I prefer a little more filling, so next time I'll make them bigger. I also cooked the filling before putting it into the pies, and I think this was the wrong way to go, because the filling sort of evaporated once in the pies. I think keeping the berries raw and letting them cook for the first time in the pies will help maintain the moisture. I know it's no longer blueberry season, but if you're like me and have a freezer full of blueberries, this is a great way to use them up!

Out of curiosity, do most people out there have KitchenAid mixers? (It always seems that way to me!) What color is yours? :)

Baker's Edge Brownie Pan and Ina's Outrageous Brownies

I have to share this cool brownie pan that my sister and I gave to my mom for her birthday - the Baker's Edge Brownie Pan.  For those who love the edges and corners of brownies, this pan is perfect - practically every brownie is an edge or corner!

My dad took a picture of the first brownies they made in the pan:

This picture is just of a boxed brownie mix, but I thought I'd post the recipe for Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies.  These brownies are so delicious.  Very rich and chocolately.  I don't know that they'd be my 'everyday brownie' - not that I even have brownies everyday :) - but they are definitely worthy of special occasions.  I found the recipe on the Food Network website, and the reviews were overwhelmingly positive.  I've made these for my family multiples times.  The original recipe is scaled for a 13 x 18-in sheet pan, which I don't own, so I cut it in half for a 13 x 9 pan.  I don't have a picture of these to post, but they look like your typical fudgy brownie; they just taste much better! 

Outrageous Brownies

 

Ingredients:  

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter (I usually just use salted)

1/2 pound (8 ounces) plus 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

3 extra-large eggs (I just used large, but Ina always recommends extra-large)

1 1/2 Tablespoons instant coffee powder

1 Tablespoon real vanilla extract

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups diced walnut pieces (I'm allergic to nuts, so I omit these)

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a 13 x 9 x 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.  

2.  Melt together the butter, 1/2 pound of chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly.  

3.  Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar.  Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.  

4.  Stir together 1/2 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to cooled chocolate mixture.  

5.  Toss the walnuts and the 6 ounces of chocolate chips with 2 Tablespoons flour to coat (Note:  Because I omit the walnuts, there is excess flour after coating the chocolate chips.  The purpose of the flour is to allow the chips to remain suspended in the batter, rather than sink to the bottom, so I just remove the excess flour by placing the chips in a wire strainer and sifting it off.)  Then add the walnuts/chocolate chips to the batter.  Pour into prepared pan.

6.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean.  Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough.  Do not over-bake!   

7.  Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.  

Final note:  Some people prefer these cold, some at room temperature, and some heated up with vanilla ice cream - it's up to you!

Source:  Adapted from Food Network, originally from Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook