Nothing Says "Study Break" Like Baking Brownies!

Sometimes too much studying can really overload your brain and you just need to get away. After several hours of studying biology this weekend, I needed a break....so I retreated to the kitchen. One of the reasons why I love to cook/bake is that it's an escape. Some people relieve stress by going to the gym or shopping, I busy myself in the kitchen. Half the time, I'm not cooking because I am hungry, but rather, I am cooking for fun. I love to try new recipes and I love sharing...if my recipes come out well and taste good. If they are no good...they never see the light of day.

So, this weekend I tried my hand at brownies. I am going to admit something here, I have never actually baked brownies, but I've eaten an awful lot! To be honest, I had three reasons for baking brownies: 1) I needed a study break, 2) I was curious about trying a new recipe, and 3) I was meeting my new postbac friend "M" in the library tomorrow so he could help me finish my chemistry post lab assignment. (I baked them as a thank you).

I must say, they weren't perfect, but they were freaking delicious. Not bad for a first attempt. My brownies ended up being soft and not as fluffy as I would've wanted, but the chocolate content was DELIGHTFUL!

M was like, "Did you make these from scratch? They're sooo good!" He couldn't stop eating them! I gave him a container with about 8 brownies thinking he'd share with his two roommates...but at the rate he was enjoying them, I don't know that his roomies ever saw the brownies. Haha. As you can imagine, I was elated that he enjoyed them so much! As much as I enjoy living on my own, when it comes to trying recipes, it can get a bit tricky because most recipes are not designed for one person; I always have too much food! Well, I guess if I experiment with more recipes in the future, I know who I can share with!

I was also pleased by how easy the recipe was! I made some modifications, but if any of you like to eat and/or bake brownies, here is my new recipe.

Easy Chocolatey Goodness Brownies:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

2. Prepare and 8x8 in baking pan by lightly spraying with cooking spray or greasing with butter. Line with parchment paper. Prepare other ingredients.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and whisk in granulated sugar and brown sugars. Lower heat and stir in buttermilk and 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Remove from heat and whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the butter mixture until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
5. Pour into prepared brownie pan and spread evenly. 
6. Bake for about 25~30 min or until the center is no longer liquid-y.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shalom Japan: It's Me, on a Plate!

Image
Last month, my best friend (E) and I ventured out into the outskirts of Willamsburg to try a new restaurant called "Shalom Japan." We are always looking for new places to try and this establishment peaked our interest. Why? Because it is Jewish-Japanese fusion…basically, me on a plate! I've heard of all sorts of cuisine fusions, but this was certainly a first. I'll admit, Shalom Japan is not necessarily in the nicest of neighborhoods and it's not not a busy street. E and I were a bit nervous that we'd gone the wrong way, but eventually, we found the place. The restaurant is quite small, but homey. It's got wood tables/chairs and the building is brick. The atmosphere is very laid back and nice. So far, so good.  I was really intrigued by the menu. I was familiar with all of the ingredients, but was truly impressed by how they were incorporated into Jewish dishes. For example, the sake kasu challah.  I LOOOOOOVE challah. If I had no self contr
Read more

Gordon Ramsay's Cheesy Potato Dauphinoise

Image
I am fairly impressionable --- at least when it comes to cooking. When I see a recipe or a dish that intrigues me, I become obsessed and determine to give it a go. I have been obsessively watching Come Dine With Me  for at least one month and a dish that keeps popping up is: Potato Dauphionoise. I've eaten this side dish a couple times in my life, but not recently. It looked so delicious and easy to make, and I was determined to try my hand at this posh looking side. As per usual, I consulted the internet to look for recipes. As most of you know, I am obsessed with Gordon Ramsay. He is always my go to. If he doesn't have a recipe for something I want to make, I'm always feel a little lost, but luckily, that wasn't the case this time. I was delighted to have stumbled upon Gordon Ramsay's "Gratin Dauphonoise." He has yet to let me down and you know what, this dish was a winner! Something that I am adding to my repertoire.  This dish was incredibly e
Read more

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: Where Greek Mythology Comes to Life

Image
Last week, I finally made it to the movie theater to see Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. I don’t care what anyone says, I LOVED IT. I loved the film, I love the Percy Jackson franchise, I love the Rick Riordan books, and I cannot wait for the next book ( The Titan’s Curse), to be made into a film! For those who may be unfamiliar with Percy Jackson, allow me to briefly explain. Percy Jackson is essentially Harry Potter , but the magic has been swapped for ancient Greek mythology. The protagonist of the series, Percy Jackson, is a demi-god and son of Poseidon --- god of the Seas. Percy lives at Camp Half Blood and is often accompanied by his best friends, Grover (a satyr) and Annabeth Chase (daughter of Athena). These three, along with a variety of other characters, go on quests and do everything in their power to stop the return of the evil Titan, Kronos, who is trying to resurrect himself and overthrow Olympus. (He’s got a bit of a grudge against his sons --- Zeu
Read more