Looking at your big brown-ies

02 May 2011 - Lib's Brownies (Sandra’s recipe)

After the raging success that was Beer Butt Chicken, I decided not to muck about and to get onto my recipe early this week. I only collected this one this weekend, but couldn’t wait to try Lib's Brownies (Sandra’s recipe).

Had a relatively good day at work, the rest of my team came back from annual leave which was nice so I'm no longer a loner. Got lots of compliments on the top I was wearing and felt pretty rocking...until at 4pm it was pointed out to me that I had left the tag on and you could see it through the shirt. Damn it!

Anyway, I came home and got stuck into making my brownies. I couldn't find coffee powder at the shops (wtf is it anyway?) so I just left it out. When I went to pour the vanilla into the mixture, I looked up at my stereo to see what was happening with my music...and put in at least three times as much as I was meant to. Oh well. I also added extra walnuts because there weren’t many left in the packet and I thought why the hell not. It was all very simple and I was seriously loving the sound of my own voice singing along to Lauryn Hill.

I couldn’t find a lamington tin, so I just chucked it in another dish instead. I popped it all in the oven and went out for a sneaky beer at the pub – I’m clearly both dedicated to my cooking and concerned about burning the house down!

I returned to a house that smelt amazing! I wasn’t sure if the brownies were cooked, but after ½ an hour they looked good enough so I took them out and watched amazing loser finale. Great night.

Turns out that since I didn't have the right dish they didn’t cook properly. The pieces that were around the sides of the dish cooked fine, but the middle isn't really cooked so it got stuck to the foil and was borderline runny. Sian said it was nice but this sort of food its WAY too sweet for us so we didn’t eat much. I don’t think the icing was necessary. They would have been nicer without in my opinion.

Sian and I took a container to work each to earn us some brownie points (oh, the wit) and hopefully get rid of them. I heard one comment, from Lauren; “they’re not too bad”. Brilliant – oh well, at least I can judge her for eating brownies at 9.15am. Everyone else seemed to like them and they were can by lunch so it can’t be too bad.

Tips: Careful with the vanilla, use the right dish and if you’re not too much of a sweet tooth, don’t worry about the icing.

Music: Miseducation of Lauryn Hill- Lauryn Hill.

That’s the way the cookie crumbles.

23^rd March 2011 – Super Amazing Chunky Choc-Chip Cookies by Cath.

I am on a roll! Back in the kitchen tonight and decided to have a go at a dessert as Naomi was here for dinner, so I tried one of my new recipes Super Amazing Chunky Choc-Chip Cookies by Cath. It was slightly confusing as for some unknown reason, this recipe was in the meat section, but I managed to find it.

Hadn’t seen Naomi in a million years so it was awesome to get to show off some skills! I put her to work straight away and made her put all the chicken and vegies on the skewers for the kebabs we were having. We just chatted away as we do, about a student who is in love with her, about this amazingly fat kid Sian showed us (60kg 3 year old!), at what time of the day we poo… you know the usual stuff!

The cookies seemed to go well, I bought choc buttons instead of chips, because I thought they’d be more chocolatey which they were. I mixed all the ingredients together as per the recipe, before realising I’d made a mistake. When it said to add the sugar, I forgot their were two types, so the brown sugar just got chucked in at the last minute. Didn’t seem to make a difference to be honest.

Watched Loser and cried pretty much the whole way through. Damo got on a bike and peddled, the Commando smiled and was like well done to his girls – it’s way too much!

Cookies were yum. I cooked them for 10 minutes and then turned the oven off and left them in for another two minutes and they seemed to work out really well. Naomi seemed to love hers and I thought it was nice except I don’t really eat much sweet food so it was a bit full on for me. I’ll take one for Simone to make sure it’s OK and give the rest to Granny and Grandad (what a good Granddaughter).

Tips: Add all the ingredients as per the recipe and make the biscuits quite small as they are really sweet.

Music: Queen

If you’ve never felt the heat, get into the kitchen.

26^th December 2010 – Pam’s Cherry Ripe and Aunty Pat’s Caramel Slice

Got an early start on the challenge and cooked Pam’s Cherry Ripe and Aunty Pat’s Caramel Slice.

Was very excited to be in the kitchen, but waited until everyone went out. Alex was at home and ‘helping’ me with the recipes, but I totes didn’t need her (except that I had no idea how to melt copha or what it was meant to look like when it melted – complex I know)!

V excited when I got to write a note at the bottom of the recipe (NB/ chop cherries first).

Reluctantly took to the two slices to the Secret Santa Party at Carly’s house (there was enough to feed an army and considering my friends don’t eat much, I thought I may have over-catered) but they were both a hit! Sarah loved them and said she liked them equally – which as it was Sarah, I know was the truth! Most of it got eaten and John (Carly’s dad) had a red hot go at the leftovers. Success.

Got eight new recipes from secret santa attendees. Lots to try! Can’t wait. Was an inspiration to Jenna who went and bought the same book for herself.

Tips: I think the Caramel was slightly overcooked. I used mum and dad’s oven but will next time leave it in for slightly less time.

Music: Loud Genius of Sonia Dada.